I am (almost) officially done in my duties as a dance faculty member at IU, I've finished my semester of teaching yoga for Recreational Sports, and have an entire month before I begin my new job with Career Services. The prospect of occupying myself for an entire month without a job (not counting my biweekly yoga classes at Panache Dance Studio) is terrifying! I'm not sure what I'll do with my time. I remember so looking forward to summer breaks as a child - but as an adult, it is absolutely unthinkable.
To occupy my time, I will (hopefully) be choreographing and preparing for the next Panache Dance showcase, running, reading, cooking, blogging (yay), and maybe checking out some volunteer work? I'm not sure where...but I thought it would be a nice way to spend my oodles of free time. If you have any suggestions, let me know.
Anyhoo, I've already started cooking more since my workload has fizzled and I've got two really great recipes for you tonight. Enjoy!
Cabbage Rolls
This recipe is modified from Devin Alexander's The Biggest Loser: Flavors of the World Cookbook. Cabbage rolls are featured in many different ethnic cuisines of Europe and Asia. The recipe may seem extremely involved, but it's quite simple (and tasty).
- 1 head cabbage
- 1 lb. extra lean ground turkey
- 2 cups tomato sauce
- 1 small onion, minced or finely chopped by hand or in a food processor
- 3/4 cup cooked short-grain brown rice
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 1/4 cup sugar
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly coat a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Add the cabbage to the boiling water, reduce the heat to low, and cover. Cook for 10 minutes. Using two large spoons or a set of tongs, carefully remove the cabbage from the water to a large bowl over the sink. Gently rinse the cabbage in cold water until cool enough to touch. Gently peel whole leaves from the head of cabbage without ripping them and stack them on a plate covered in paper towels. When you get to stiff leaves that don't peel easily, return the cabbage to the hot water for an additional 10 minutes of simmering. Repeat the process of rinsing and peeling the cabbage until you get 12 intact large leaves (this took me two rounds of steaming and peeling). Discard the remaining cabbage or save for another use.
In a large bowl, mix the cooked rice, turkey, onion, pepper, and 1 cup tomato sauce until completely combined. Place a small handful of the rice/turkey mixture in each of the cabbage leaves and fold like a burrito (tuck in the sides first and then roll down the top). Place the stuffed rolls seam side down in the baking dish.
Combine the remaining tomato sauce with the vinegar and sugar, mixing until the sugar dissolves. Evenly pour this mixture over the cabbage rolls. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for an hour and a half, until the meat is cooked through and the leaves are translucent. makes 12 cabbage rolls, serving 3-4
Lowfat Chocolate Cheesecake
This scrumptious dish comes from Marlene Koch's wonderful and thorough "diet" cookbook Eat What You Love. Koch champions Splenda in her baking, so those who don't use it might want to steer clear of this recipe (or her book). I don't have an issue with Splenda, so I love her stuff!
- 1 store bought chocolate or graham-cracker crust
- 1/3 cup chocolate chips
- 12 oz nonfat or lowfat cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup Splenda
- 8 oz tub fat free whipped topping, thawed
- handful chocolate chips and chocolate syrup, for topping
Heat the chocolate chips in the microwave for one to one-and-a-half minutes, until completely melted.
In a standing mixer (or in bowl using hand mixers), beat the cream cheese until creamy. Slowly pour in the melted chocolate and beat until mixed. Next, add the cocoa powder and Splenda and beat again until incorporated. Gently fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture with a spoon and mix until thoroughly combined. Spoon the mixture into the crust, sprinkle with chocolate chips, and lightly drizzle with chocolate syrup. Let refrigerate for at least two hours before slicing and eating. serves 6-8
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Restaurant Review: The Owlery
Today, a friend and I experienced "The Owlery" - Bloomington's newest vegetarian/vegan restaurant on Rogers Street (near the intersection of Rogers and Third) for the first time. So how was it?
First of all, the small building has a cute "diner" feel - complete with white square tables and red and yellow plastic bottles full of ketchup and mustard. I really liked the atmosphere in the restaurant; there was some relaxed alt-music (think The Shins or something) and friendly staff.
The menu had some nice vegan/vegetarian selections, including some fun appetizers like fries with vegan gravy and cheese and coconut macadamia tofu. I decided on the vegan reuben with fries and my friend got a BALT (tofu bacon, avocado, lettuce, and tomato sandwich). Both were delicious. I was especially impressed with the reuben...getting authentic flavors out of vegan thousand island dressing and mock-meat can be challenging, but The Owlery nailed it. The fries were great too; just greasy enough and wonderfully textured.
The price was great as well. Our meals were each about $8.00 and, considering the serving size, it was a good deal.
Any downsides? Well, truthfully, the wait for food was longer than it should have been. Our food probably came thirty minutes after we ordered. But (to be fair) the restaurant was slammed with a gigantic party of teachers and young students around the same time we arrived. The waiter also gave me a free tea to make-up for our wait.
While I wouldn't recommend The Owlery for lunch if you're in a time crunch, it's a great spot for hipsters and vegetarian/vegans...and people like me who just like to eat. The prices are reasonable, the atmosphere is fun, and the food is well worth the trip. The staff is friendly as well. Try it out!
First of all, the small building has a cute "diner" feel - complete with white square tables and red and yellow plastic bottles full of ketchup and mustard. I really liked the atmosphere in the restaurant; there was some relaxed alt-music (think The Shins or something) and friendly staff.
The menu had some nice vegan/vegetarian selections, including some fun appetizers like fries with vegan gravy and cheese and coconut macadamia tofu. I decided on the vegan reuben with fries and my friend got a BALT (tofu bacon, avocado, lettuce, and tomato sandwich). Both were delicious. I was especially impressed with the reuben...getting authentic flavors out of vegan thousand island dressing and mock-meat can be challenging, but The Owlery nailed it. The fries were great too; just greasy enough and wonderfully textured.
The price was great as well. Our meals were each about $8.00 and, considering the serving size, it was a good deal.
Any downsides? Well, truthfully, the wait for food was longer than it should have been. Our food probably came thirty minutes after we ordered. But (to be fair) the restaurant was slammed with a gigantic party of teachers and young students around the same time we arrived. The waiter also gave me a free tea to make-up for our wait.
While I wouldn't recommend The Owlery for lunch if you're in a time crunch, it's a great spot for hipsters and vegetarian/vegans...and people like me who just like to eat. The prices are reasonable, the atmosphere is fun, and the food is well worth the trip. The staff is friendly as well. Try it out!
Monday, April 18, 2011
Easy Chicken Mole, Running Update, and New Clothes!
It's been awhile. I apologize. Just when I thought I was back to regular blogging, mountains of work threatened to overtake my life. Fortunately, I've survived the onslaught and I'm back with some fun news and a great, easy, delicious recipe.
First off, I must fill you in on my half-marathon quest! We have reached the 10 mile marker and have only THREE weeks left before the actual race! I am getting extremely excited. We've been training for about four months and our hard work is finally hurdling us to the finish line. Since we started, I've worn holes in my shoes (bought a brand new pair) and increased my short distance three mile run from 33 minutes to 23 minutes! The progress is so inspiring to me...especially considering a few months ago I was one of those people who hated to run and never imagined running a half marathon. Pretty cool, huh?
In other news, I went on a MAJOR shopping spree for my new job (set to start June 1st). I got some great deals at Express, Target, and Macy's...and I can't wait to show off my brightly colored polos and spiffy new leather shoes. I figured, "Why not?" A new path, a new start, a new wardrobe. My parents - very generously - sent me some money for the shopping spree and I am incredibly grateful.
For dinner, I made a really easy Chicken Mole from Allison Fishman's new book You Can Trust a Skinny Cook. Allison was one of the hosts of Lifetime's Cook Yourself Thin television program (one of my favorite shows...I don't know why they aren't making new episodes anymore). It was quick to throw together and tasted really great. Try it out!
Easy Chicken Mole
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Sea salt and black pepper
1.5 tablespoons spicy chile powder
1.5 tablespoons oregano
1.5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
16 oz. jar salsa (I used Newman's Own Garden Fresh)
1 cup water
12 oz. frozen mixed vegetables
1 lime, cut into wedges
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken thighs and sprinkle with some sea salt and black pepper. Cook for about two minutes, until lightly browned. Turn the chicken over and sprinkle the chile powder, oregano, and cocoa powder over the chicken. Mix everything in the skillet around so the chicken is coated with the spices and the oil. Cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the salsa and water and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Add the frozen vegetables and stir to combine. Re-cover and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes (until vegetables are thawed and tender). Ladle into four bowls and serve, squeezing a lime wedge over each bowl. 4 servings
First off, I must fill you in on my half-marathon quest! We have reached the 10 mile marker and have only THREE weeks left before the actual race! I am getting extremely excited. We've been training for about four months and our hard work is finally hurdling us to the finish line. Since we started, I've worn holes in my shoes (bought a brand new pair) and increased my short distance three mile run from 33 minutes to 23 minutes! The progress is so inspiring to me...especially considering a few months ago I was one of those people who hated to run and never imagined running a half marathon. Pretty cool, huh?
In other news, I went on a MAJOR shopping spree for my new job (set to start June 1st). I got some great deals at Express, Target, and Macy's...and I can't wait to show off my brightly colored polos and spiffy new leather shoes. I figured, "Why not?" A new path, a new start, a new wardrobe. My parents - very generously - sent me some money for the shopping spree and I am incredibly grateful.
For dinner, I made a really easy Chicken Mole from Allison Fishman's new book You Can Trust a Skinny Cook. Allison was one of the hosts of Lifetime's Cook Yourself Thin television program (one of my favorite shows...I don't know why they aren't making new episodes anymore). It was quick to throw together and tasted really great. Try it out!
Easy Chicken Mole
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Sea salt and black pepper
1.5 tablespoons spicy chile powder
1.5 tablespoons oregano
1.5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
16 oz. jar salsa (I used Newman's Own Garden Fresh)
1 cup water
12 oz. frozen mixed vegetables
1 lime, cut into wedges
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken thighs and sprinkle with some sea salt and black pepper. Cook for about two minutes, until lightly browned. Turn the chicken over and sprinkle the chile powder, oregano, and cocoa powder over the chicken. Mix everything in the skillet around so the chicken is coated with the spices and the oil. Cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the salsa and water and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Add the frozen vegetables and stir to combine. Re-cover and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes (until vegetables are thawed and tender). Ladle into four bowls and serve, squeezing a lime wedge over each bowl. 4 servings
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