Ive tried this dish two different ways, and I like the second way much better. This recipe calls for 1/2 cup white wine so if you have any leftover bottles just add this in. Drunken for the wine, and Skinny for the health factor!

Drunken and Skinny Ratatoulli

1 zucchini, cut into chunks

1 eggplant, cut into chunks

5 asparagus, cut roughly

1 tomato, cut into chunks

2 cloves garlic

1 can tomato paste

1/2 cup white wine

oregano, salt and pepper to taste

In a large pan, add a small amount of oil and garlic. Heat until golden brown, then add vegetables (everything but the tomatos). Cook the veggies until soft, then add tomatoes, tomato paste and wine, as well as spices at this time. Let simmer for 15 minutes, or until the sauce thickens up, and the alcohol burns off. Serve hot, as a side or a meal. This can also be served over pasta for a more filling meal, otherwise this dish is about 300 calories for the whole pot!

I enjoy food, and do believe diets (when done PROPERLY) can be helpful. But I also believe that you CAN eat yourself skinny, while staying HEALTHY. By choosing healthy foods and dinners with the freshest vegetables and meats, you are giving your body the nutrients it needs to make it through the day, and keep you hunger-free!

liss

THE Pesto Recipe

2cups basil leaves

1/2cup Parmasan Cheese

1/2cup Almonds

4TBSP Sun dried tomatoes (add more or less to taste)

3cloves Garlic

1/2cup Good Olive Oil (or more depending on desired thickness)

1/2TSP Salt

1TBSPPepper

OPTIONAL: for heat,add 1/2TSP- 1TSP red pepper flakes.

1 Bag Meat or cheese tortellini (Or make your own, Im not that ambitious after a long day though)

Cook Tortellini according to instructions, and blend all other ingredients together in a blender. If you dont have a blender (understandable of course), add almonds, basil, sun dried tomato and garlic together and chop together in a large pile. Make sure to finely chop these together. Then in a bowl, mix that with the oil, and Parmesan. Heat a small amount of oil in a large pan, add tortellini t brown slightly and add desired amount of pesto to pan. Mix well and heat thoroughly. Serve hot, or as a cold pasta salad!

Enjoy my loves!

Liss

These spiney little veggies are easier to prepare than I had previously thought.

There are just a few simple steps in preparing Artichokes.

But first, a small history of the artichoke from dear old www.wikipedia.com:

The Globe Artichoke (Cynara cardunculus)^[2] is a perennial thistle originating in southern Europe around the Mediterranean. It grows to 1.5–2 m tall, with arching, deeply lobed, silvery glaucous-green leaves 50–82 cm long. The flowers develop in a large head from an edible bud about 8–15 cm diameter with numerous triangular scales; the individual florets are purple. The edible portion of the buds consists primarily of the fleshy lower portions of the involucral bracts and the base, known as the “heart”; the mass of immature florets in the center of the bud is called the “choke”. These are inedible in older larger flowers.

Varieties

• Green color, big size: Camus de Bretagne, Castel (France), Green globe (USA).
• Green color, medium size: Blanca de Tudela (Spain), Argentina, Española (Chile), Blanc d’Oran (Algeria), Sakiz, Bayrampsha (Turkey).
• Purple color, big size: Romanesco, C3 (Italy).
• Purple color, medium size: Violet de Provence (France), Brindisino, Catanese (Italy), Violet d’Algerie (Algeria), Baladi (Egypt).
• Spined: Spinoso sardo (Italy), Criolla (Peru).

Medical Uses

The majority of the cynarin found in artichoke is located in the pulp of the leaves, though dried leaves and/or stems of artichoke also contain Cynarawhich are used to increase bile production. Cynarin, an active constituent in Cynara, causes an increase in bile flow.^[10] This diuretic vegetable is of much nutritional value because of its exhibiting aid to digestion, strengthening of the liver function, gall bladder function, and lowering of HDL/LDL ratio. This reduces cholesterol levels, which diminishes the risk for arteriosclerosis and coronary heart disease.

Aqueous extracts from artichoke leaves have also shown to reduce cholesterol by inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase and having a hypolipidemic influence, lowering blood cholesterol

Good. Now, How do we cook this bad boy!?

Artichokes, and a delicious dressing!

Begin by trimming the pointed ends off of all of the leaves, and trimming the stem to 1/2 inch. Set into a pot with 3inches water and bring to a boil. Simmer on med high for about 30 minutes.

Now. Here is a big step that you must remember that I did not, and consequentially ended up with over cooked artichokes (they were still delicious and easy to eat but overcooked nonetheless.)

REMEMBER TO REMOVE THE OUTER LEAVES BEFORE COOKING! I did not do this, and kept poking the woody outer leaves, and ended up with the inner part being soggy and a tad over cooked so Trim Trim Trim!

Steam your trimmed artichokes for about 30 minutes, or until the leaves are easily plucked off.

How to Eat Artichokes

Eating an artichoke is fairly simple. Pluck off the leaves and use your bottom teeth to scrape the soft inside of the vegetable starting at the top of the leaf and pulling down.

A yummy idea for a dip I found was a Balsamic Mayo. Heres my recipe:

1TBSP Balsamic Vinegar

2TBSP Light Mayo

Pinch Pepper and Salt

-Mix all ingredients together until completely combined.

I hope you enjoyed my little artichoke adventure! So next time you see these dangerous little veggies, grab one and give it a try!

liss

Liss’s Homemade Granola

Feel free to add or subtract ingredients from the granola. Add fresh berries, and milk to have a delicious breakfast cereal, or add dried fruits and nuts such as figs, sunflower seeds, dried apricots, or peanuts to make  the granolar heartier, like a good trail mix.

3cups Rolled Oats

1cup Shelled, Unsalted Sunflower seeds

1/2cup Raisins

1/2cup Dried Cranberries

1cup Almonds (whole or chopped)

1/2 cup Sesame Seeds

1/2cup Kashi 7Grain Puffed Wheat Cereal mix

1TSP Cinnamon

1TSP Nutmeg

1/2TSP Cloves (if you have them)

1cup Honey

In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and Mix well, so that the honey covers all of the mixture. Crumble onto baking sheet lined with tinfoil or parchment, and Bake on 350 F for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool, and store in airtight jars for ultimate freshness.

Enjoy this health on-the-go snack! Its very simple, and requires very little time to make! Crumble this over ice cream for a snack, eat it with milk as a cereal or toss it in a to-go bag and take it with you!

So why not try it? I cant see why you shouldnt

Liss

Liss’s Chicken pot Pie

1/2 chicken breast, cubed

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 carrot, chopped small for faster cooking

1 Stalk Celery, Chopped small

1/2 onion, chopped

1 Potato, chopped small

2TBSP Oregano

1TBSP Thyme, and 1TBSP Rosemary if you have it

2TSP chicken stock powder, mixed in 1 1/2 cups warm water

3TBSP Flour

1 tube Pillsbury Crescent rolls

In a large pot, begin by frying Onions and Garlic in oil until slightly softened, then add chicken cubes, salt and pepper, thyme, rosemary and Oregano. Cook until chicken is half cooked, and then add in the remaining vegetables. Cook for 10 minutes on med-high, until all vegetables are softened well. At this time, add the 3 spoonfuls of flour, and stir well to coat all ingredients in the pot evenly. Add the chicken stock and simmer on med-high until the mixture has thickened to a gravy like consistency.  In 2 single portion oven-safe dishes, pour in chicken mixture almost to the top. With the Crescent roll pastry, cover the outer rim with 2 triangles. This will help to hold the middle pastry. Use two more triangles to cover as much of the pastry top as possible, then place on baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, or until the pastry on top is crispy and golden.

This recipe is so easy, and very delicious for a stay-at-home comfort meal. It just screams to be eaten by the fireplace watching tv on a cuddle night. Try is today and see what i mean!

Liss

For my recipe tonight, I did only use eggplant and zucchini, however the recipe is slightly different than mine. Feel free to substitute any “roasting vegetables”. Keep in mind, Most vegetables are roast-worthy, including carrots, celery and sweet or regular potatoes. Don’t ignore this simple cooking technique, because in the time it took to boil some Uncle Bens, I had oven roasted balsamic vegetables.

Oven Roasted Balsamic Vegetables

1 Green Zucchini, thickly cubed

1 small Purple Eggplant, thickly cubed

1 Sweet Potato, peeled and thickly cubed

2 small onions, peeled and quartered

2TBSP Balsamic vinegar

1/4cup  Olive Oil

1TSP Diced garlic

1TSP Garlic Pepper

Salt and Pepper

On a baking sheet, spread out the diced vegetables and cover in oil, vinegar and spiced. Mix well with hands, and bake in a 450 degree oven for approximately 20 minutes, and then broil for 15 minutes. Add Salt after the vegetables come out of the oven.

This little recipe can come in handy sometimes, because most root and vine vegetables can be roasted. Here is a list of vegetables you can roast:

Carrots, Peeled and thickly sliced

Baby potatoes, diced

Pearl or other Small onion varieties,

Garlic, whole with top slightly cut off to reveal the tops of all the cloves (wrap in tinfoil with oil and bake 1hr)

Celery, cut into large slices 1inch long

Squash, quartered with brown sugar

Sweet Potatos

Cherry Tomatos

Asparagus

Leeks

*Roast vegetables until they are tender, and then broil to give them a crispy outside*

Happy Roasting!

Liss

Liss’s Banana bread

1/2cup white sugar

1/2cup brown sugar

2 bananas mushed up

2TBSP butter, melted

1 egg

4TBSP milk

1 1/2 cup flour

1/2 TSP baking soda

1TSP baking powder

1TBSP Cinnamon

1TSP nutmeg

2TBSP vanilla extract

1TBSP Spiced rum

1/4cup walnuts

Mix all ingidients together thoroughly. The batter should be a little bit wet, but enough that it isnt runny. Cook in a loaf pan for 1 hour on 350*F, or until you can stick a knife in and pull it out clean.

My boyfriend likes to toast his banana bread, where as I like mine warmed with butter and honey. Try it your own way, and try substituting walnuts for diced apples, or raisins!

Liss

Food prices are climbing, and some might be looking to fast foods and packaged foods for their cheap bites. But low cost doesn’t have to mean low quality. In fact, some of the most inexpensive things you can buy are the best things for you.

At the grocery store, getting the most nutrition for the least amount of money means hanging out on the peripheries—near the fruits and veggies, the meat and dairy, and the bulk grains—while avoiding the expensive packaged interior. By doing so, not only will your kitchen be stocked with excellent foods, your wallet won’t be empty.

1. Oats
High in fiber and complex carbohydrates, oats have also been shown to lower cholesterol. And they sure are cheap—a dollar will buy you more than a week’s worth of hearty breakfasts.

Serving suggestions: Sprinkle with nuts and fruit in the morning, make oatmeal cookies for dessert.

2. Eggs
You can get about a half dozen of eggs for a dollar, making them one of the cheapest and most versatile sources of protein. They are also a good source of the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, which may ward off age-related eye problems.

Serving suggestions: Huevos rancheros for breakfast, egg salad sandwiches for lunch, and frittatas for dinner.

3. Kale
This dark, leafy green is loaded with vitamin C, carotenoids, and calcium. Like most greens, it is usually a dollar a bunch.

Serving suggestions: Chop up some kale and add to your favorite stir-fry; try German-Style Kale or traditional Irish Colcannon.

4. Potatoes
Because we often see potatoes at their unhealthiest—as fries or chips—we don’t think of them as nutritious, but they definitely are. Eaten with the skin on, potatoes contain almost half a day’s worth of Vitamin C, and are a good source of potassium. If you opt for sweet potatoes or yams, you’ll also get a good wallop of beta carotene. Plus, they’re dirt cheap and have almost endless culinary possibilities.

Serving suggestions: In the a.m., try Easy Breakfast Potatoes; for lunch, make potato salad; for dinner, have them with sour cream and chives.

5. Apples
I’m fond of apples because they’re inexpensive, easy to find, come in portion-controlled packaging, and taste good. They are a good source of pectin—a fiber that may help reduce cholesterol—and they have the antioxidant Vitamin C, which keeps your blood vessels healthy.

Serving suggestions: Plain; as applesauce; or in baked goods like Pumpkin-Apple Breakfast Bread.

6. Nuts
Though nuts have a high fat content, they’re packed with the good-for-you fats—unsaturated and monounsaturated. They’re also good sources of essential fatty acids, Vitamin E, and protein. And because they’re so nutrient-dense, you only need to eat a little to get the nutritional benefits. Although some nuts, like pecans and macadamias, can be costly, peanuts, walnuts, and almonds, especially when bought in the shell, are low in cost.

Serving suggestions: Raw; roasted and salted; sprinkled in salads.

7. Bananas
At a local Trader Joe’s, I found bananas for about 19¢ apiece; a dollar gets you a banana a day for the workweek. High in potassium and fiber (9 grams for one), bananas are a no-brainer when it comes to eating your five a day quotient of fruits and veggies.

Serving suggestions: In smoothies, by themselves, in cereal and yogurt.

8. Garbanzo Beans
With beans, you’re getting your money’s worth and then some. Not only are they a great source of protein and fiber, but ’bonzos are also high in fiber, iron, folate, and manganese, and may help reduce cholesterol levels. And if you don’t like one type, try another—black, lima, lentils … the varieties are endless. Though they require soaking and cooking, the most inexpensive way to purchase these beans is in dried form; a precooked can will still only run you around a buck.

Serving suggestions: In salads, curries, and Orange Hummus.

9. Broccoli
Broccoli contains tons of nice nutrients—calcium, vitamins A and C, potassium, folate, and fiber. As if that isn’t enough, broccoli is also packed with phytonutrients, compounds that may help prevent heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. Plus, it’s low in calories and cost.

Serving suggestions: Throw it in salads, stir fries, or served as an accompaniment to meat in this Steamed Ginger Chicken with Asian Greens recipe.

10. Watermelon
Though you may not be able to buy an entire watermelon for a dollar, your per serving cost isn’t more than a few dimes. This summertime fruit is over 90 percent water, making it an easy way to hydrate, and gives a healthy does of Vitamin C, potassium, and lycopene, an antioxidant that may ward off cancer.

Serving suggestions: Freeze chunks for popsicles; eat straight from the rind; squeeze to make watermelon margaritas (may negate the hydrating effect!).

11. Wild Rice
It won’t cost you much more than white rice, but wild rice is much better for you. Low in fat and high in protein and fiber, this gluten-free rice is a great source of complex carbohydrates. It packs a powerful potassium punch and is loaded with B vitamins. Plus, it has a nutty, robust flavor.

Serving suggestions: Mix with nuts and veggies for a cold rice salad; blend with brown rice for a side dish.

12. Beets
Beets are my kind of vegetable—their natural sugars make them sweet to the palate while their rich flavor and color make them nutritious for the body. They’re powerhouses of folate, iron, and antioxidants.

Serving suggestions: Shred into salads, slice with goat cheese. If you buy your beets with the greens on, you can braise them in olive oil like you would other greens.

13. Butternut Squash
This beautiful gourd swings both ways: sometimes savory, sometimes sweet. However you prepare the butternut, it will not only add color and texture, but also five grams of fiber per half cup and chunks and chunks of Vitamin A and C. When in season, butternut squash and related gourds are usually less than a dollar a pound.

Serving suggestions: Try Pear and Squash Bruschetta; cook and dot with butter and salt.

14. Whole Grain Pasta
In the days of Atkins, pasta was wrongly convicted, for there is nothing harmful about a complex carbohydrate source that is high in protein and B vitamins. Plus, it’s one of the cheapest staples you can buy.

Serving suggestions: Mix clams and white wine with linguine; top orzo with tomatoes and garlic; eat cold Farfalle Salad on a picnic.

15. Sardines
As a kid, I used to hate it when my dad would order sardines on our communal pizzas, but since then I’ve acquired a taste for them. Because not everyone has, you can still get a can of sardines for relatively cheap. And the little fish come with big benefits: calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, and B vitamins. And, because they’re low on the food chain, they don’t accumulate mercury.

Serving suggestions: Mash them with parsley, lemon juice, and olive oil for a spread; eat them plain on crackers; enjoy as a pizza topping (adults only).

16. Spinach
Spinach is perhaps one of the best green leafies out there—it has lots of Vitamin C, iron, and trace minerals. Plus, you can usually find it year round for less than a dollar.

Serving suggestions: Sautéed with eggs, as a salad, or a Spinach Frittata.

17. Tofu
Not just for vegetarians anymore, tofu is an inexpensive protein source that can be used in both savory and sweet recipes. It’s high in B vitamins and iron, but low in fat and sodium, making it a healthful addition to many dishes.

Serving suggestions: Use silken varieties in Tofu Cheesecake; add to smoothies for a protein boost; cube and marinate for barbecue kebobs.

18. Lowfat Milk
Yes, the price of a gallon of milk is rising, but per serving, it’s still under a dollar; single serving milk products, like yogurt, are usually less than a dollar, too. Plus, you’ll get a lot of benefit for a small investment. Milk is rich in protein, vitamins A and D, potassium, and niacin, and is one of the easiest ways to get bone-strengthening calcium.

Serving suggestions: In smoothies, hot chocolate, or coffee; milk products like low fat cottage cheese and yogurt.

19. Pumpkin Seeds
When it’s time to carve your pumpkin this October, don’t shovel those seeds into the trash—they’re a goldmine of magnesium, protein, and trace minerals. Plus, they come free with the purchase of a pumpkin.

Serving suggestions: Salt, roast, and eat plain; toss in salads.

20. Coffee
The old cup-o-joe has been thrown on the stands for many a corporeal crime—heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis—but exonerated on all counts. In fact, coffee, which is derived from a bean, contains beneficial antioxidants that protect against free radicals and may actually help thwart heart disease and cancer. While it’s not going to fill you up like the other items on this list, it might make you a lot perkier. When made at home, coffee runs less than 50¢ cents a cup.

Serving suggestions: Just drink it.

Although that bag of 99¢ Cheetos may look like a bargain, knowing that you’re not getting much in the way of nutrition or sustenance makes it seem less like a deal and more like a dupe. Choosing one of these twenty items, or the countless number of similarly nutritious ones, might just stretch that dollar from a snack into a meal.

Liss’s Pho

Broth:

2 boxes Chicken Broth

2TBSP Concentrated Chicken OxO

1TBSP Chinese five-spice or Allspice

2 cloves Garlic

1 Shallot

For the broth, heat 1TBSP olive oil in the bottom of a pot, and add diced Shallot and chopped garlic. Cook until lightly browned, then add broth, Five-spice, Salt and pepper to taste. Boil for about 3 minute. For a little extra, add pork wontons to the broth, and boil until the wontons are cooked. Serve on bed of veggies

Veggie bed:

6 Baby bok choy, stems removed

1/4 cup Snow Peas in pod

1/4cup Bean Sprouts

Single portion of Chinese Glass Noodles, quick cook in boiling water.

Lime, Quartered

1/2cup Cilantro, chopped

In a large bowl place ingredients in the following order: Glass noodles, bok choy, bean sprouts, snow peas, cilantro and 2 Lime quarters.

To complete dish, pour boiling liquid into the bowl of vegetables, and let sit for 4 minutes, until the glass noodles are cooked and the vegetables are softened. Squeeze lime and enjoy!

This soup recipe is one of my favorites. Its filling, delicious and very healthy and you’ll love how good it makes you feel.

Liss

http://www.home-remedies-for-you.com/ – this is a site for home remedies, anything from fever and headaches to hives and nausea.

http://www.acupressureonline.org/ – home acupressure points, for homeopathic relief for minor aches and pains. Good for when your sitting in front of your desk in desperate need of a good massage!

http://helpguide.org/life/sleeping.htm – A guide to a good nights sleep, Also a good site: http://www.mercola.com/article/sleep.htm

http://www.mercola.com/article/sleep.htm – a guide to your dreams

http://www.thedoctorstv.com/ – the Doctors official site

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/index-eng.php – Canada’s Food guide

http://www.natural-cure-guide.com/home-remedies/home-remedies.htm – natural Cure guide

These are just a couple health-friendly sites for your reading pleasure. My favorite is the acupressure

liss