Cajun Perch ~ Fish Friday

Cajun Perch is an easy & tasty way to cook your fish for dinner on Fish Friday.   I made this by following the same steps as I do when I make my Italian Bread Crumb Cod recipe ~  but with this flavor I use plain bread crumbs & then season both sides of the perch with a Cajun spice blend.  I make the skillet a bit hotter to get a good, quick sear on the crust & then I take the heat down to finish it off.  I give it a good spray with ~ I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray ~ before I dish it up.  

This seasoning would work with just about any kind of fish.  I made it with perch because that's what fish happened to be on sale ~ I'm nothing if not thrifty.  :)

BTS with Candice Swanepoels ELLE Brazil Photoshoot

I first saw these beautiful images of Candice Swanepoel after she uploaded this cover & a few behind the scenes images on her instagram page from her photoshoot with ELLE Magazine, Brazil. I never thought someone could look that incredible in sports shoes & a bikini. Doesn't sound appealing, but take a look at the pictures below & they will quickly change your mind!

Woah..

LOVE ELLIE x

Fresh Picked Sweet Corn ~ eating local, real local

Fresh Picked Sweet Corn~ Simply prepared.  Just boiled quickly & spread with butter ~ a little sprinkling of salt & pepper is all it needs.  Sometimes the simple things in life ~ and in the kitchen ~ are the best!

Living in a semi-rural area has its advantages.  We're still close (about 15 minutes) to all the things a larger town has to offer, while still having the advantages of living in a quiet, small town.  Take, for example, fresh summer veggies.  I've already posted about the Community Garden that is just up the road from us & how we can harvest from it whenever we like.  Now, I want to show you another cool thing that is just across the street & down a little ways from our house.  It's so close I can see it from my upstairs window...

One of our neighbors is a Gentleman-Farmer.  He & his family have a small crop of sweet corn that is producing the most amazingly tender, sweet corn I've ever had. It's such a treat to be able to know exactly where your food is coming from & how well it's cared for. 

Talk about a low carbon footprint, how about no footprint ~ except for a barefoot one... We've had the fresh picked corn delivered by the 'farmer's daughter', pulled in her wagon. We've walked over & bought it from the 'honor' table that's setup in front of the field.  Sometimes, we buy it 5 minutes after it's been picked & it's on the dinner table within the hour.  Talk about fast food!   J & I have even gone over & helped with the picking & shucking.  It's hard work pickin' corn & taking a break is all part of it.  :) 

I was going to do a bunch of posts on corn recipes, but to be honest, I like it best cooked simply.  This corn is so very sweet & tender, it seems a shame to do anything to it but give it a quick dunk in boiling water & then eat it on the cob, with a nice coating of butter & a little salt and pepper.  It's wonderful, just the way it is.  Why mess with perfection?

I'll come up with some fresh sweet corn recipes to share ~ but not today.  Today, I'm savoring the simple joy of eating simply prepared food, in our quiet, semi-rural Midwest town.  :)

Sausage Stuffed Jalapeño Poppers, Coconut Water Martini & Mocktails ~ It's Tropical Cocktail Time!

Labor Day Weekend is almost here & for me, that's the 'official' end of summer.  Summer begins & ends with holiday weekends ~ Memorial Day is the beginning of summer & Labor Day is the end of summer. 

Some of the things I always enjoy making during the summer are cool drinks that give off a tropical vibe ~ cocktails for the over 21 crowd, as well as ones that the kids can enjoy, too.  Coconut Water Martinis & Coconut Water Mocktails fall right into that category.  I also like to make easy to eat-with-your-fingers types of appetizers. (aka ~ hors d'oeuvres ~ if you're feeling a bit fancy & French :)  Of course, salsa is always high on my list ~ as well as jalapeño poppers.

My neighbors, Bill & Cheryl, shared some of their Sausage Stuffed Jalapeño Poppers with us not long ago & I just had to make some for myself.  My spin is baked in the oven, instead of cooked on the BBQ & I used lower fat ingredients, but the flavors are the same.  I just love this unusual flavor combo in the ever popular jalapeño popper!

Happy Labor Day Weekend!

Happy End of Summer!

Happy Tropical Cocktail Time ~ It's always 5 o'clock somewhere!

Baked Sausage Stuffed Jalapeño Poppers ~ Low-Fat

makes 12 tasty, spicy morsels

Ready to bake...

• 6 large jalapeños ~ sliced in half length ways, seeds/veins removed
• 4 oz low-fat or fat-free cream cheese
• couple drops of liquid smoke ~ or more, to taste
  
• 5 cooked turkey sausage breakfast links, crumbled
• smoked paprika, for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 375F degrees.

Combine the cream cheese of choice with the liquid smoke until fully combined & creamy, taste & add more liquid smoke if desired.  Add the cooked & crumbled turkey sausage to the cream cheese & blend all together.

Spread the cream cheese mixture into the halved jalapeños, then sprinkle with smoked paprika. 

Bake on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet for 20-25 minutes, or until done.  Enjoy!

OPTIONAL VEGETARIAN VERSION ~ Just replace the turkey sausage with soy sausage

To see my other recipe for Low-Fat Baked Jalapeño Poppers ~ click here!

Coconut Water Martini

Coconut Water Martini ~ Ahhh, the taste of the tropics!

• one shot    Malibu Coconut Rum
• one shot    Vodka
• one shot    Badia Coconut Water with Pulp

 How do I enjoy this tropical cocktail?  ~ Shaken, not stirred, of course!

Coconut Water Mocktail ~ perfect for everyone

Coconut Water Mocktail ~ Great for kids & grown-ups alike. For the simplest mocktail ever, pour well chilled coconut water over ice, into a pretty glass.

• Badia Coconut Water with Pulp

• Optional ~ a splash of ~ French Vanilla Coffee Creamer
• ice

If you want a frozen version, pour the coconut water into the blender, add a couple of ice cubes & a splash of French Vanilla Coffee Creamer.  Whirl away until frosty.  Enjoy!

This canned coconut water is lightly sweet, has a nice coconut flavor & has bits of coconut pulp floating around in it.  It's amazingly good!   I find this brand (Badia) over in the ethnic Mexican food section of my market.   This stuff is hands down my favorite sweetened drink in a can!   :)

Salsa

JR's Tex-Mex RO*TEL Salsa ~ Just had to share this salsa again.  It's so freakin' good & so simple to prepare.  It's perfect for a summer party or just 'cause you're in the mood for some good, traditional Mexican flavored salsa.  I just love it!  Check out the post ~ for the recipe.

Marinated Pork Tenderloin ~ perfect for easy & elegant dinners

Whole Oven Roasted Thai Marinated Pork Tenderloin ~ Getting pre-marinated pork tenderloin at the market takes all the hassle out of making this tender & low fat cut of meat.  There are many different marinated flavors to choose from ~ the hardest part is trying to decide what flavor you'd like to try.  :)

For an easy dinner that's simple to prepare, yet nice enough for company, I often turn to marinated pork tenderloins.  I purchase the pre-marinated ones at the store, but you could easily marinate it at home.  I like the convenience of having it already done for me, just one less thing to have to worry about on a busy night.  Sometimes I roast the entire tenderloin in the oven.  If I'm roasting it, I just follow the simple directions on the package for getting the tenderloin into the oven & in about the time it takes me to get all the side dishes ready, maybe help out with homework & maybe have a cup of tea ~ dinner is about ready to get on the table.  It's all pretty low-key, but it tastes like you went to a lot of trouble ~ I like it when something easy makes me look so good!  heehee

BBQ Mesquite Marinated Pork Tenderloin Medallions ~ I slice the raw tenderloin into 'medallions' for even quicker cooking.  Since they're sliced thin, it takes just a few minutes to cook.  If you have any leftover rice, combine it with some frozen mixed veg & you've got a simple side dish, add another veg & dinner is served.

 

Sometimes I slice the raw tenderloin into 'medallions' when I want dinner on the table even quicker.  I'll either cook them on the George Foreman Grill, or saute them in a skillet.  Dress it up for an elegant dinner or keep it simple for a weeknight meal, it's all good!  Any leftovers are perfect served the next day, either in ~ sandwiches at lunchtime or as a stir fry for dinner.  Not only is this a really easy cut of meat to cook (you can even grill it on the BBQ), it's tasty & really low in fat ~ no wonder I like this cut of meat so much!   :)

Leftover Pork Stir Fry ~ Grab some leftover marinated pork tenderloin, cut it into cubes & stir fry it with your favorite stir fry sauce, veggies and maybe even some chunks of tropical fruit.  Then serve it over rice & sprinkle with some nuts.  A quick & simple dinner for any night of the week. 

Todays Arm Candy ♡

My top 10 FAVORITE superfoods

Eating Healthy = Healthy Body. 

These are currently my top 10 foods I love to consume on a daily basis that help keep me healthy, full of energy & help make my skin, nails & hair shine...

- Lemons & Limes -

I regularly have lemon & limes, in my green tea, in warm water, in my fresh juices & on my avocado on organic rye bread for breaky. Lemons & limes are extremely good for alkalizing the body, they help keep skin clear & also aids in digestion & weight loss. I like to carry a water bottle around with fresh slices of lemon & lime in it, it's a great natural flavored drink on the go!

 - Brocolli -

One medium stalk of broccoli contains more than 100 percent of your daily vitamin K requirement and almost 200 percent of your recommended daily dose of vitamin C - two essential bone-building nutrients. 

- Garlic -

I am flipping crazy about garlic (yes I carry gum around with me everywhere so I don't have stinky garlic breath!) I have garlic in anything I possibly can.. (drives the other half up the wall) If I could have this stuff on my toast & in my oats for breakfast.. I would. Garlic is SO incredibly good for you, Garlic promotes the well-being of the heart and immune systems with antioxidant properties and helps maintain healthy blood circulation. One of garlic's most potent health benefits includes the ability to enhance the body's immune cell activity & also acts as an anti-inflammatory.

- Avocado -

I regularly have avocado every day, they have extremely healthy fats for your body, packed full of vitamin E & helps maintain your overall health! I like to have avocado on organic rye bread with a squeeze of lemon in the mornings, sliced avocado on my salads, avocado on rye thins, or on crackers as a snack with cracked pepper & truffle salt. There are many ways to incorporate avocados into your diet.

- Ginger -

 Ginger is another one I love; I have it in green tea, my fresh juices & regularly with my favorite veggie stir-fry (I am drinking green tea with some while I type this!). Ginger aids in preventing & fighting the cold & flu, great for cleansing your system & even helps to prevent cramps (YAY!! 10 points to the ginger in the front..)

- Spinach - 

Yes, as in POPEYE! I always pack heaps of spinach into my juices, dinners & breakfast. It's really nice to have in an omelet with shallots, mushrooms, a bit of curry powder & chives. Spinach is found to be one of the most nutrient rich foods available - Packed full of vitamin A & K, protein, calcium, manganese, folate & fiber. It helps combat ovarian & prostate cancer, can improve cardiovascular health, promotes healthy skin along with much more. AND 1 cup has only 40 calories.

- Walnuts -

I usually have walnuts with almonds as a healthy, nutritious snack between breakfast & lunch with a piece of fruit. Walnuts are packed full of omega-3 fatty acids, which can assist in reducing cholesterol. Omega-3 can improve mood and help fight cancer.

- Almonds -

Almonds are the most nutrient-dense tree nut. I love to have them as a snack between breaky & lunch with some walnuts & a piece of fruit like a small apple. They are an excellent source of vitamin B, E, magnesium, folic acid, protein and fiber - They are also packed full of extremely good fats.

- Chick peas, lentils & red beans -

As the old saying goes "Beans, beans good for your heart, the more you eat the more you...", you get the picture. I usually have these 3 mixed together with salad or in a stir-fry. They are all a great source of protein & fiber.

- Blueberries -

Blueberries are my FAVORITE fruit to snack on when I have a sweet tooth & to use in my fresh juices (80 cals a cup)! They are extremely rich in antioxidants, they taste fantastic & they are a terrific anti-aging fruit! (remember everything in moderation!)

All of the above are foods\fruits I consume every single day, they work for me so now hopefully after sharing this post, you might give some or all of them a try & you can see how they work for you!

LOVE ELLIE x

Grilled Tempeh & Veggies ~ Meatless Monday

Grilled Tempeh & Veggies ~ Using my George Foreman Grill makes for a quick & easy dinner for Meatless Monday.

I've mentioned before how much I love my George Foreman Grill.  It makes cooking for one, or two, super simple & quick.  One of the things I like to make on it is ~ Grilled Tempeh & Veggies.  I slice the tempeh into serving size portions, brush it with a little olive oil & sprinkle it with some spices ~ then I do the same thing for the veggies I'm going to serve with it.  All sorts of veggies get grilled, but green onions are a favorite of mine ~ they truly shine when cooked this way.  It only takes a few minutes to complete the cooking since the tempeh is already cooked, so you're really just heating it through. Cook the veg to your liking & you're ready to eat.  My favorite part of cooking on the George Foreman Grill is all those glorious grill marks on everything ~ YUM! 

You can change up the flavor of the meal by sprinkling on different spice blends or by adding your favorite sauce ~ poured over the grilled tempeh ~ right before serving.  Some of the sauces I like to add; BBQ, teriyaki, sweet & sour, chipotle ranch dressing & fresh salsa.  If you've got a George Foreman Grill, take it for a spin today & see how good ~ Meatless Monday ~ can be!  :)

Join the Movement!

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Raisin Breakfast Cookies ~ Kimberly's Version

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Raisin Breakfast Cookies ~ This breakfast cookie is sweetened with bananas, applesauce & raisins.  It's gets its high protein from ~ peanut butter, vanilla protein powder & egg.

Kimberly, (one of the readers of the blog) shared her tweaks to the original Peanut Butter Banana Oat Breakfast Cookies ~ recipe.   In her version she added an egg, raisins, cinnamon & baking powder ~ & she left out the extra nuts, butter extract & carob/chocolate chips.  Cool!  It sounded like such a neat spin, I just had to give it a try ~ so I made them today.  She turned the recipe into what I'm calling the ~ Peanut Butter Oatmeal Raisin Breakfast Cookies.  Her version is very good & just as easy to make as the original version.  We treated ourselves & 'frosted' some of the cookies with a few spreads that we like.  (I've got a picture down below showing all the different ones we tried out) 

Kimberly, thanks so much for sharing your version of the peanut butter breakfast cookie!  You ROCK!  :)

Updated 9/6/2012 ~ I worked up the nutritional info over at Calorie Count.com  ~~ CLICK HERE ~~ for the breakdown.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Raisin Breakfast Cookies ~ Kimberly's Version

makes 16 - 24 cookies, depending on the size you like your cookies

• 2 ripe bananas, mashed until smooth & creamy
• 1/3 cup peanut butter
• 1 egg, well beaten  
• 2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon (or more, to taste)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 cups quick oatmeal  ~ uncooked  
• 1/4 - 1/3 cup raisins

Preheat heat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix, in a large bowl ~ mashed banana & peanut butter until completely combined.  Then add in the applesauce, beaten egg, vanilla protein powder, cinnamon & vanilla extract ~ mix again until all are completely combined.

Add in the oatmeal, raisins & baking powder to the banana mixture & combine.

Let dough rest for 10 minutes.  Dough will be 'thinner' than my other breakfast cookies ~ more like a really thick batter.

Drop cookie dough/really thick cookie batter ~ by spoonfuls ~ onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.  Shape the cookies into circles, the batter should stay where you put it, if it's just a tad too thin, add an extra tablespoon or two of oats.  The cookies should not spread when baking.

Bake cookies approx. 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown & done. (cooking time really depends on how big you make your cookies & if you like them a bit more soft in the middle)  Remove from oven when done & let rest on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then move to cooling rack.  

 
Cool cookies completely, then store in a covered container. 

 **  For a special treat ~ check out some of the optional cookie 'frostings' below  :)  **

Enjoy! 

 ~ OPTIONAL ~ 

Today, as a special treat, we've been enjoying adding some flavored spreads to the tops of these breakfast cookies.  So far, we have 'frosted' the breakfast cookies with:

• Speculoos Cookie Butter from Trader Joe's (it tastes like gingerbread ~ J really likes it)
• peanut butter mixed with honey
• plain peanut butter
• Nutella

We all love having a 'special treat', every now & then.  Especially when it's eating a 'frosted' cookie!  

P.S. ~ I had some extra cookie dough/batter that wouldn't fit on the cookie sheet, so I cooked it like a pancake. One word ~ A W E S O M E !!!  I just topped it with some butter & skipped the syrup. I really enjoyed it.  I'll have to explore that avenue in the future.  :)    If you have some cookie dough/batter left over, why not give it a try, too ~ you might find you like it as much as I did.

 

~ Other NUT BUTTER / SEED BUTTER variations to consider for this breakfast cookie ~

For a different spin on these breakfast cookies, you could change up the Nut Butter or Seed Butter that you use.  You can purchase different kinds of nut/seed butters...  Or, you could make your own nut/seed butter, if you're so inclined.  (making my own homemade nut/seed butters recipes sounds intriguing,  I might be trying that out soon) ~ Some different kinds of butters that might be interesting to try in these cookies:

Almond Butter

Hazelnut Butter

Soybean Butter

Sunflower Butter

Cashew Butter

Hemp Seed Butter

Sesame Seed Butter ( aka ~ Tahini )

Pumpkin Seed Butter

Walnut Butter

Pistachio Butter

Pecan Butter

Macadamia Nut Butter

MKerr Nude for Bazaar

She's the one we all love to see naked (whether you like to admit it or not). Today I fall in love all over again. Here are the images that have the people of the world going crazy at the moment - And I don't blame them!

Check out all of Miranda Kerrs Harper's Bazaar shots here

LOVE ELLIE x

What do you think about them? Leave your thoughts in the comment box below!