Food Addict

Happy Friday! Just want to pass along a couple of kitchen experiments that have gone very well.  Of course I am talking about baked oatmeal, because it's my favourite thing! First up...Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal! Start with the basic recipe...(can be found in the 'Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal' post) omit the pumpkin and coconut oil, and I used chocolate protein powder in place of the vanilla protein powder. Mix all the wet ingredients, and protein powder, plus a scoop of PB2 Chocolate Peanut Butter Powder. (you can find it at www.lowcarbcanada.ca ) It's OK if you don't have this...it's still delicious! Add in the oats, mix, and transer to you greased (PAM or Coconut Oil) ramekin dish.  Now the best part.  A teaspoon of natural peanut butter dolloped right on the top.  Bake 15-17 min at 375. Add a splash of milk (or not) and enjoy the gooey goodness!! **Another delicious take on this, is to make the Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal...but instead of pump

Hello Friends. Here's one that will have you proudly ringing the dinner bell. It doesn't even have a name--just a big mish mash of flavours! Let's call it Veggie Italiano with Chicken and Bacon!  ha ha I love a good comfort meal, but don't always love what goes into it!  (fat, sodium, starch)  Here's one that's Italian in nature, free of all the 'guck', boasting only fresh, quality ingredients and best of all, it's so darn easy! You can use pasta, I used spaghetti squash. Slice them in half, scoop the seeds out, cook rind side up (not like the picture) in a dish with some water for 40-45 min at 375. Fry up the meat of your choice.  I chose chicken breast. (red onions in there too!) Now, the sauce.  I used a fresh jar from the local Italian Market, it was just pureed tomatoes.  I added some chopped fresh basil... ...chopped veggies (mushrooms and zucchini)... ...and my 'go to' Club House Seasoning...Parme

Hello Friends! I'm about to reveal a weakness to you...something that shouldn't bother me, but it does.  Every time I put on a bathing suit...stretch marks are staring back at me.  I know why they are there (my last baby was a 10 pounder and breach), I know that stretch marks don't define who I am, but rightly or wrongly they do suck a little bit of the joy out of my life. I prefer a life full of joy, so when I was offered the opportunity to deal with them...by that I mean, virtually erase the stretch marks...I jumped at it!  It's Fractional Laser Technology (kind of a big deal) and it's available at Advantage Body Clinic in Kelowna.  I won't pretend to know exactly how it works...but Karen Pettinger sure does.  You can contact her here.  www.advantagebody.ca Hi Karen!   After a consultation, where Karen explained the process and the discomfort I could expect (!) today was the first treatment.  Treatments will span the next few months...and

Good morning! Just a quick update to share something exciting...well, exciting to me because I get very happy when an experiment in the kitchen goes well! You know I love baked oatmeal...now I've taken to making two varieties each morning. One with my beloved pumpkin for breakfast...and the other without, so it bakes up like a muffin. Perfect for post workout! (see earlier post for recipes) This morning, while prepping that post workout muffin, inspiration struck!  I was adding some raspberries and thought....wouldn't lemon be devine?  Out came the lemon, and the zester...just a few shavings and a new favourite was born!   Post Workout Lemon Raspberry Muffin.  I omit the coconut oil for this one and up the amount of protein powder to a full scoop.  Fat (even though it's good fat) slows down the absorption of nutrients.  Great for keeping you satisfied after a meal, but you want your muscles to absorb protein and carbs as fast as possible rig

Pizza can be more than just a standby Friday night dinner, or something you throw in the oven for 'the kids' while you serve up something for the 'adults'. With such an assortment of thin, healthier crusts on the market, it's easy to stay 'clean' and enjoy a favourite food that's gotten a bit of a bad rap.  Just avoid piling on the fatty meats and lighten up the cheese load for a dinner that's perfect any night of the week.  Here's my current fav! Red Pear, Prosciutto and Rosemary with a honey drizzle This is seriously so easy to make.  I buy my crusts from a local Italian Market, they are thin, homemade and contain only like five, real ingredients and no perservatives! First things first...you need some crispy prosciutto. 10-12 pieces.  I cook them at 450 degrees on a foil lined baking sheet.  10 minutes to perfection.  Remove from sheet and let them cool so you can crumble. Reduce oven heat to 425 degrees. I like a cris

This just hits the spot for me these days...hopefully you will enjoy it too! Here's what you need...(forgot to put the coconut oil in the picture...you need that too!) Preheat oven to 375.  Mash half a banana in a bowl, add a splash of vanilla, 1 tsp coconut oil, half a scoop of protein powder, a heaping spoonful (or two) of canned pumpkin, cinnamon to taste (or pumpkin pie spice) and about 1/4 c. egg whites.  Mix it all up and dump in 1/2 c of dry oatmeal, stir and if you want sprinkle in some raisins. Transfer to a ramekin cup or small baking dish that has been sprayed with PAM, or if you prefer rub with coconut oil. Bake for 17 min. Here is the finished product.  The pumpkin keeps it so soft!  I like to break it up a bit and add a splash of almond milk.... ...pair it with a steaming cup of coffee or tea...oh I can hardly wait for morning! ***NOTE*** If you omit the pumpkin it bakes up just like a giant muffin.  Slice it in half

This one is so simple...yet so satisfying. Take a medium to large spaghetti squash, slice it lengthwise, scoop out the pits and place rind side up in a pan with some water in it.  Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes. While that's in the oven, brown onion and ground chicken over medium heat. When fully cooked add your sauce of choice. **NOTE** Use a thicker sauce in this recipe.  I used a thinner, organic sauce and a can of diced tomatoes with the juice. I ended up pouring off more than a cup of liquid after baking.  Next time I will use a large can of organic crushed tomatoes (no salt added) and then season with garlic, oregano and my favourite parmesan herb seasoning from Club House. So, mix your sauce with the chicken and let it simmer over low heat while your squash cooks.  When it's done, remove from the oven and let it sit for about ten minutes, (seriously let it cool a bit I can't feel the tips of my fingers tonight!) When cool, scrap the flesh with a fork and pi

Hello Friends! 2012 has been a year of the challenges for me...or rather I chose to challenge myself over the past 11 months by competing in three figure competitions this year.  Western Canadians - May 2012  Sandra Wickham Fall Classic - November 2012 It means I've spent most of the past 300 or so days on a competition diet and am just now re-entering a daily regime that many would call 'normal'.  The problem is, I don't really remember what normal is.  Breakfast, lunch, dinner and all meals in between!    For months, most of my meals have consisted of chicken breast or tilapia or lean beef, broccoli, spinach or asparagus and sometimes some steamed yams.  Other than natural peanut butter and chocolate protein powder there haven't been many treats. The up side to this, is that wine, cheese and even the teensiest treat are now so rewarding... Ok, this one is not teensy! I can't even tell you how great it feels to be able to pou