Roasted Chicken Risotto

This is what I made last night. I got the recipe from an Allrecipes.com Daily Dish email, and changed it to make it SB-friendly. I used regular long-grain brown rice, and it took nearly 2 hours to cook. Next time I will use the faster-cooking brown or parboiled white.

Roasted Chicken W/ Risotto and Caramelized Onions

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar (I left this out)
1 1/2 cups uncooked Arborio rice (I used brown)
1/4 cup dry white wine
7 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter (I left this out)
2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast (I used a deli roasted chicken, chopped)
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onions and saute for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the onions are a dark golden brown. Remove from heat, stir in the balsamic vinegar and set aside.
Heat the remaining oil in a separate large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the rice and mix well. Let heat for about 2 minutes, then pour in the wine. Reduce heat to medium low and start pouring in the broth about 1 cup at a time. Add more broth as each cup is absorbed. Continue in this manner until all the broth is absorbed and the rice is al dente, about 20 minutes.
Stir in the reserved onion mixture and allow to heat through. Remove from heat and stir in the butter and chicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and garnish each serving with fresh thyme.

I sauteed some sliced mushrooms with the onion because in our house you can NEVER have too much shrooms! I also added peas to mine, and it was delish!

Toasty Applesauce Wheat Muffins

I created my own muffin recipe this afternoon because I forgot to buy my hubby anything to eat for breakfast! Hope he likes these as much as our son seems to, he's eating one right now and keeps telling me I'm the best cook in the world!

Toasty Applesauce Wheat Muffins

3/4 cup raw wheat germ
2 cups WW flour (I used white WW)
1 TBSP baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup Splenda (they turned out pretty sweet, so maybe only 1/4 cup?)
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup applesauce
2 eggs
1/4 cup oil
1 1/3 cup milk (I used 1 1/4 cup and think it may need a dash more)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Whisk the wet ingredients in a large bowl, mixing the honey well. Slowly add the dry, and stir until just moistened. Scoop into well-sprayed muffin cups (makes about 12-14). Bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Coconut Shrimp!

WOW! That's it. WOW! I LOVE Coconut Shrimp, and so does my hubby. When I said I was making it tonight, he was so excited. I, on the other hand, was nervous. I had NO idea how to make it SB friendly. Here is what I came up with:





Coconut Shrimp

1 # shrimp, peeled and deveined (the bigger ones work better)
1/4 cup WW flour
one coconut
6 oz pineapple juice
1 egg white
1/4 c Splenda
pinch of salt
1/4 c WW bread crumbs
1/2 tsp chili sauce with garlic
1 tbsp arrowroot powder (or other thickener)
2-3 tbsp oil

The night before, get to work on the coconut. Crack open a fresh one, saving and straining the juices. Remove the meat and shred. Keep both separate in fridge overnight.
In a large dish, mix egg white and 2 tbsp of the pineapple juice. In another large bowl, mix the coconut meat, bread crumbs, Splenda, salt, and half of the flour. Put the rest of the flour in a baggie. Toss the shrimp in the bag to coat with the flour. Then wet the shrimp with the egg mix, and toss into the coconut mixture. Set this aside (do this in small batches).
To make the sauce, mix the remaining juice, coconut juices, chili sauce, arrowroot powder, and a little bit of Splenda, if desired. Bring this to a boil, remove from the heat, and set aside.
In a large frying pan, heat the oil over med-high heat until really hot. Add the shrimp in batches (I did two batches), cooking 3 minutes on the first side and 2 on the second or until nicely browned. Remove to paper towels, and finish with the rest of the shrimp.

Serve with the sauce on the side, or like Chinese with rice.

Ribeye Salad!

I finally remembered to take a picture of a meal! Unfortunately, the ones I took of MY plate didn't turn out, so no goat cheese (sorry Catherine!). Luckily, my hubby took a picture of HIS plate, so at least you get the general idea!

Ribeye Salad

One thinly sliced ribeye steak for each person, or one thick steak for two
bell pepper slices (and onion, which I forgot!)
salt and pepper
mixed salad greens
balsamic vinegar
EVOO
whichever cheese you'd like- I loved the goat cheese, he likes Italian crumbles

Season the steaks well with the salt and pepper. Grill the steaks (and sliced onion, if desired) over high heat for 3 minutes on the first die, 2 on the second ( 5 on the first and 5 on the second if using the thick steak) and remove them to a cutting board. While letting the meat rest, tear the lettuce greens onto a plate and toss with a splash of vinegar and oil. Slice the steaks into strips and top the lettuce with them, then sprinkle with the cheese. Top this with the pepper slices and onions, and serve with a nice Pinot Noir!

Muffins

Here is a picture of the Rhubarb Muffin I made. I will post the recipe too! It was originally a coffee cake recipe with a streusel topping, but I thought muffins would be easier for my hubby to take to work.

Rhubarb Muffins
1/2 c butter (I used Fleishman's Olive Oil Spread)
1 1/2 c sugar (I used 3/4 c fructose)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 c flour (I used WW Pastry flour)
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 c buttermilk (I used 1/4 c dry buttermilk and 1 cup skim)
2 c rhubarb, chopped
Preheat oven to 350.
Cream together butter and sugar, then add in the eggs one at a time. Add vanilla. Mix dry ingredients then slowly add it alternating with the milk, until all is mixed. Stir in the rhubarb.
Scoop into sprayed (or lined) muffin tins, making 12-16 depending on how big you want them. I sprinkled the tops with oats. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Remove from muffin pan immediately and cool or wire rack.

I can post? WOW!

YAY! I can finally post again! I have been basically "locked out" for the last few days. Guess they fixed the problem?

I did not get a photo of tonight's Beef & Broccoli or the potstickers ( made with homemade WW dough). I will try to get a picture of the wonderful Rhubarb Muffins I made last night. They are moist and delicious! And I guarantee that the next time I make the IHOP rip-off Nut and Grain Pancakes, I will surely get one of that!
I have been trying to get more exercise lately. I think I may be paying for it, too! For the last couple of days, my legs have been stiff and sore. I did a lot of bike riding and walking last Friday, and then quite a bit of strenuous lifting and gardening Sunday. I worked out Tuesday on our "Beast" in the basement, and when it came time to do my legs I was really struggling. I took a small walk today, and that wasn't too bad. I am planning to ride my bike to work on Friday, so hopefully it will be better by then.
Well, I promise to get back here with a picture soon! Hope everyone has had a great week so far!
KG

Me, as an elephant!

This is a picture of me at my heaviest of 270 pounds. This was taken at my son's 5th birthday party in January 2005. I did lose about 30 pounds after this was taken, but gained 10 back before I started SB this January.
I was a very skinny child, could eat anything! Then in high school, I became anorexic and bulimic. Not healthy, but I looked gorgeous. I was 5'2" and 105 pounds with a D cup when I graduated. Then after graduation, I started putting on the pounds 10 and 20 at a time.
As of last week, I weigh less than my hubby for the first time in at least 10 years! He will catch up eventually, but for now I am revelling in it!
My final goal is 150, and I am giving myself until July 2007 to reach it. I hope to be there before then obviously, but will not rush things. This is the first time in my life I have felt in control of my body. I will continue to eat well, and look forward to the day when I can shop in the regular section of the store again...

Life is a journey, and I am just along for the ride!

Welcome to my world!

I started the SB Diet January 2nd, 2006. I have about 100 pounds to lose, and as of today I am more than 1/4 of the way there! YAY! I have found this way of eating very easy, though having a six year-old that loves all things confectionary has made it difficult at times. But, as my name implies, I am the Kitchen Goddess! I can do anything in the kitchen! I have succeeded in turning my family on to the whole grain side of eating, and they are beginning to see the benefits! My hubby is doing a modified version of SB, so he really has no choice!
I will try to update often, and I will work on getting pictures up of our delicious meals!

The KG