Silverbirch, did you study Latin at all? I did, but I guess it's rarely taught or even offered now. I recall that "nauta" is sailor--a masculine noun but with a feminine ending. So perhaps things get a bit vague out there at sea?
Yes, for five years and it helps me out every week. I feel very lucky. Gender - it's complicated ...
Shannon~I have several recipes using riced cauliflower. Let me know if you want any.
Dagmar~up until this morning, the dog was good. No peeing in the house at all and it really amazed me. But this morning, she made a bee-line for the bathroom in the cat/exercise room and I heard her in there, but she wouldn't come out. Turns out, she'd peed and then realized she couldn't get past the pee to exit the bathroom. She knew she was in trouble. I put her out and cleaned up. I told DH that tonight instead of him asking her if she wants to go out, simply put her out. That should solve the problem. She only uses her kennel when it's raining and thundering.
Allison - yeah, putting her out without asking might be a good idea. I would love riced cauliflower recipes, definitely. I really enjoyed the stir fry Monday night.
JZJ - Glad the summer is going well, sorry about the drama with the students. How is the new puppy?
Ange - my parents have two rescue dogs currently. They put little diapers on one of them, he has some health issues and can't hold it all day. It always seems odd to me when I go in and see the chihuahua in a little diaper.
DH surprised me yesterday morning with Tony Bennett tickets for last night. He got an ad that he was performing locally from Google, went and looked, and there were two seats available dead center 10th row orchestra. It was FANTASTIC. He's going to be 92 in 10 days, and he kicked it. Seriously, I need to eat better and exercise so I can be able to do what I love when I'm 92. Dang.
A lot of these recipes call for a head of cauliflower, but it's just as easy to use a bag of pre-riced either frozen or fresh (Trader Joe's has fresh)
Buttery Garlic Herb Chicken and Lemon Parmesan Cauliflower Rice
1 1/2 pound (650g) boneless skinless chicken thighs, or breasts
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, 1 teaspoon fresh chopped oregano, 1 teaspoon fresh chopped rosemary
14 oz. (400g) cauliflower rice (1 medium head)
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup (60ml) chicken broth
1 tablespoon hot sauce (we used Sriracha)
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
Juice of 1/2 lemon, plus zest, and lemon slices for garnish
The marinade:
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Fresh cracked pepper, to taste
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
1. In a large bowl, arrange chicken thighs and sprinkle with Italian seasoning, paprika, black pepper, olive oil and lemon juice. Mix well and marinate for 10 – 15 minutes.
2. In the meantime, pulse the cauliflower florets in a food processor for about 25-30 seconds until you obtain a rice-like consistency. Set aside.
3. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium-sized skillet over medium-low heat. Add oregano, rosemary, and thyme. Lay the chicken skin side down, and cook for 4 – 5 minutes on each side or until chicken is no longer pink and reaches 165°F (75°C). Cooking time will depend on the size of your chicken thighs. Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside on a plate. Keep the cooking juices and fat in the pan.
4. In the same pan, fry garlic and onion for 1 minute until fragrant — be careful not to burn. Stir in the hot sauce and mix well. Add the riced cauliflower and mix everything together. Stir in chicken stock, parsley, the lemon juice, and lemon zest (if using). Cook for 2 or 3 minutes to reduce juices then add parmesan cheese.
5. Adjust seasoning as needed. Return chicken thighs over cauliflower rice and reheat quickly. Serve with fresh cracked black pepper, red chili pepper flakes, fresh herbs and more parmesan if you want. Enjoy!
Cauliflower “Fried Rice”
½ Spanish onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
¾ cup thinly sliced cremini mushrooms (about 5 whole mushrooms)
1 small red bell pepper, diced
1 small zucchini diced
½ cup grated carrot
½ cup sugar snap peas, chopped
½ head cauliflower, florets removed
5 tablespoons soy sauce
1½ teaspoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced
½-1½ tablespoons Sriracha (It totally depends on how much heat you can handle.)
2 teaspoons coconut oil (in solid form)
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
For garnish: (optional)
Scallions, thinly sliced
Fresh basil, chopped
½ Spanish onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
¾ cup thinly sliced cremini mushrooms (about 5 whole mushrooms)
1 small red bell pepper, diced
1 small zucchini diced
½ cup grated carrot
½ cup sugar snap peas, chopped
½ head cauliflower, florets removed
5 tablespoons soy sauce
1½ teaspoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced
½-1½ tablespoons Sriracha (It totally depends on how much heat you can handle.)
2 teaspoons coconut oil (in solid form)
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
For garnish: (optional)
Scallions, thinly sliced
Fresh basil, chopped
Start by prepping all of the vegetables, keeping the diced onions and minced garlic separate from the rest of your veggies. Briefly set them aside while you “rice” your cauliflower.
Place cauliflower florets in a food processor and pulse gently until the cauliflower is the size and texture of rice. If you don’t have a food processor (you are not alone), don’t panic! Just throw the florets in a blender and pulse on the chop setting OR use a box grater. Be careful not to over-process or grate your cauliflower too finely, or it will release too much water and get mushy when you cook it! Set aside your “rice” until ready to use.
In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar and minced ginger. Set aside until ready to use.
Heat two teaspoons of coconut oil in a wok or large pan until melted. Add the onions and garlic and sauté for 2-3 minutes until the onions soften and the garlic becomes fragrant. Add the mushrooms, red bell peppers, zucchini, carrot, and sugar snap peas and sauté for 3-4 minutes until they are just tender.
Stir the cauliflower rice into the sauteed vegetables. Cover and cook for five minutes over medium-low heat. The cauliflower should be tender but not mushy.
Push the rice and vegetables to one side of the pan and crack two eggs in the empty space. Scramble them using a spatula until they are no longer runny. Mix the eggs into your fried rice. Add the soy sauce mixture and chopped basil and cook for 1 minute.
Serve your cauliflower fried rice garnished with extra fresh basil and finely sliced scallions if you feel fancy. Healthy looks good on you.
Cauliflower Spanish Rice
1 large head of cauliflower*
1 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
1/2 cup diced onion
3 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt + more to taste
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/4 - 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
Fresh cilantro for garnish optional
Cut your cauliflower in half and in half again. Remove stem and discard. Chop the head of the cauliflower into chunks (1-2 inch pieces). Place inside a food processor and pulse. You probably need to do this in 2-3 batches. Between each batch, remove and set aside.
Heat up a large skillet to medium heat. Add onion and saute for 3 minutes, then add garlic and saute another 1-2 minutes.
Add in riced cauliflower, salt, and cumin. Stir around the veggie mixture to coat.
Add in tomato paste, then 1/4 cup broth, and bump up heat to medium high. continue to stir around until the tomato paste dissolves in the mixture. If the mixture is too dry, add in more broth by the tablespoon. If the mixture is slightly wet, continue to cook until the liquid dissolves.
Serve hot with garnished cilantro and added salt to taste.
Kung Pao Chicken (THIS ONE is really good!) I use liquid Aminos instead of soy sauce--don't know if it saves much sodium, though.
-2 medium Chicken Thighs, bone in skin on
-1 tsp. Ground Ginger
-Salt and Pepper to Taste
-1/4 cup Peanuts
-1/2 medium Green Pepper
-2 large Spring Onions
-4 red Bird's Eye Chilis, de-seeded
Cauliflower "rice" for serving
The Sauce
-1 tbsp. Soy Sauce
-2 tsp. Rice Wine Vinegar
1. Debone chicken using kitchen shears. Cut chicken into bite sized pieces. Season with salt, pepper, and ground ginger.
2. Heat a pan over medium-high heat and once very hot, add chicken. Let chicken cook until browned (about 10 minutes). I advise using a splatter screen or covering the pan with paper towels as there will be grease splash-back.
3. Chop up and prep vegetables and chilis. Set aside.
4. Prepare sauce by combining all ingredients together and mixing well.
5. Once the chicken is browned, stir everything together and let cook for a few minutes more. Add vegetables and peanuts to the pan and allow to cook down (about 3-4 minutes).
6. Add sauce to the pan and let it boil down to reduce slightly. It should have almost a sticky texture once done.
7. Serve on top of your favorite side dish. For us, it’s fried cauliflower rice!
5-Ingredient Baked Cauliflower Tots
2 medium heads cauliflower, cut into florets
1/4 cup small diced onion
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup finely ground breadcrumbs
1 large egg
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a nonstick baking sheet liberally with cooking spray.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cauliflower florets to the water and cook them just until fork tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Thoroughly drain the florets and transfer them to a food processor. Pulse the cauliflower for a few seconds just until the it breaks down into small pieces (about the size of grains of rice). (Do not overmix the cauliflower or the mixture will be too wet to form.)
Measure out 3 packed cups of the cauliflower and add it to a large bowl. (See Kelly's Notes.) Stir in the diced onion, Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, egg, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, mixing until thoroughly combined. (The mixture should be roughly the consistency of mashed potatoes.) Using your hands, scoop up 1- to 2-tablespoons of the mixture and mold it into a tater tot shape. Place it on the prepared baking sheet and repeat the shaping process with the remainder of the mixture, spacing the tots about 1 inch apart.
Bake the tots for about 20 minutes then flip them and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes until crisped. Remove and serve with ketchup, pesto, hummus or your preferred dipping sauce.
Kelly’s Notes:
The onion should to be cut small enough so that it’s not too chunky and can be easily mixed into the cauliflower mixture.
Any extra puréed cauliflower can be turned into my go-to mashed potato substitute, Mashed Cauliflower with Cheese and Chives.
Cauliflower Stuffing (I made this one Thanksgiving for my niece who was doing low-carb. I would have liked it better without the mushrooms.)
4 tbsp. butter
1 onion, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped or thinly sliced
1 small head cauliflower, chopped
1 c. chopped mushrooms
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 c. Freshly Chopped Parsley
2 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1 tbsp. chopped fresh sage or 1 tsp. ground sage
1/2 c. vegetable or chicken broth
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion, carrot, and celery and sauté until soft, 7 to 8 minutes.
Add cauliflower and mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook until tender, 5 to 10 minutes more.
Add parsley, rosemary, and sage and stir until combined, then pour over vegetable broth and cover with a lid. Cover until totally tender and liquid is absorbed, 15 minutes.
Puppy is doing pretty well; her leg isn’t great but she’s using it. She’s doing rehab sessions with underwater treadmill, swimming and ultrasound. It’s too cute to watch. We may end up doing another surgical procedure in an attempt to help the leg.
Hope she continues to heal, Jay. It's hard to see animals hurt.
We're babysitting my SIL's dog for a week. I was concerned at first, but we've got the system down. I don't think we'll have but that one accident. She's pretty funny, too. Once she sees her harness, she gets to excited she starts barking and prancing and yesterday chased one of the cats (not in a mean way, I'm not concerned that she'd hurt one). It makes her more personable--before that, I thought of her of just a dog. Now she has a personality. The only thing I'm afraid of is if she has a seizure--she's had several in the past few years.
My diet seems to be working. My shorts seem a bit looser each day. Can't complain about that.
But I can complain about the fires. Yesterday at noon, an arsonist set four fires in the mountains west of us. He was driving and throwing road flares from his car. A car behind him called highway patrol and they caught the F****r within 20 minutes. But that was enough time for 4,700 acres to burn and burn down a few homes. So sad.
Allison, thanks for the recipes! They all sound delish!
Birchie, it's so nice to hear that you are making "body progress". Keep forging ahead!!
JayZee, glad to hear the pup is progressing. My animals have had stable health for a couple of months, which is always welcome, but there is a new young cat coming around. He is friendly and a male, so I'm not in a great rush to get him to the vet. He's been here two nights in a row. I think I'll give him a week, and if he's still here we'll get him neutered.
There is a heat wave here. I've been walking very late at night, but I've also been eating too much at night. Starting today I've decided to forego any steps I don't get before 10 pm and just go to bed. 100 calories burned by doing more steps does not balance out 250 calories consumed at night. I have not weighed in over a week but will do so tomorrow. Expecting a high number
Weighed myself this morning as I have a weekend of "eating events". 135.4 lbs. I will keep this in mind as I eat my way through the weekend. I love salads if I don't have to make them so I'll try to eat as many as I can at the events. Mostly greenery if it's an option.
I did well at the first "eating" event. Broiled sausage and steak, green salad, and watermelon for dessert. Lovely yard party - so nice to attend an event in the summer! Said goodbye to a very nice couple who have been clients of mine for close to 18 years. I'll miss them!
Trixie briefly slept in bed with me last night while I read and ate candy. I invited her up and she was very enthusiastic. As soon as she heard DH's car she jumped right down and then ran to greet him. She knows who the softie is and didn't try to get back into bed after he came in. I find the candy in bed thing once a week really helps me with resisting indulgences for the rest of the week. The dog, who normally is not allowed on the bed, had an extra little treat too!
Hey folks! I think I've decided to cancel my subscription with Noom and go back to MyFitnessPal. It's not worth the money to me at this point. My weight has gone up after last week's emotional eating but I'm in a better headspace now to tackle it. 149 this morning. I ate pretty well yesterday and also went for a bike ride. Today I have healthy meals planned out and for the rest of this week, so it's just going to be a matter of willpower.
In other news, we bought new cars! Well, sort of new anyway. I don't remember what I mentioned earlier, but we ended up replacing our 01 Civic and 06 Forester with an 18 Legacy and a 15 Sienna. The kids were very excited about the Sienna because the doors can open automatically.
I had a nice realization last night. I'm pretty steadily losing 1 pound a week and at this rate I will be at my goal in less than a year! That is a very manageable timeframe and this diet doesn't have me feeling I'm missing out on any particular food (although many foods are eaten VERY sparingly).
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