What's on your plate?

[lylysa]

Hello there, ladies and gents!

Keeping in line with all the fun and interactive threads asking about your most recent halls, items you have your eyes on, what you're currently wearing, what's your hair routine, and more, I've decide to branch out and ask:

"What's on your plate?"

The beauty world doesn't just stop at skin care and cosmetics, it also goes hand in hand with your overall health and well-being, so with that, I'm curious to see what we're all chowing down and snacking on be it for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, or inbetween!

For those with apps that help count calories or to those who just want to keep a log, here's a place to share, possibly find and share some recipes, and even tips on maintaining a balanced diet.

Don't just share food items, but even drinks! I'm a huge fan of tea and at least have a cup of green tea a day (anti-oxidants) and drink plenty of water.

For lunch today, I had:

-Brown rice

-Steamed egg

-Steamed red snapper with green onion, sesame oil, and black pepper

-Gai lan (it's a type of Chinese vegetable/greens)

Now, tell me, Beauty Talk world, what do you have? 😄

[lylysa]

Oooooo banana nut french toast! *drooooool*

[EvangelineDamon]

I hear angels singing....

I'm coming over, too!!

[lylysa]

So it's agreed? We're all going to Malday's place for some bread!

[EvangelineDamon]

This is not the best picture, but you guys are lucky to even get this one.

I cannot even describe how badly my mouth was watering as I posed this sucker.

NY Strip Roast and a twice baked potato....

Recipe coming tomorrow..

Time for bed now..

New York Strip Roast

Spoiler

• 4 garlic cloves
• 8-10 fresh sage leaves
• 4 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 4 teaspoons olive oil
• 4 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• Trader Joe's Everyday Seasoning

In a food processor, add everything and pulse until a paste.

Pat meat dry..

Massage the meat.

Put the meat in a bowl/bag and let marinate for 3 hours or preferably overnight. 

Take out a couple of hours before; bring to room temperature (slightly)

Pre-heat oven to 450°F.

Place meat in a roasting pan on a rack and roast for 15 minutes.

Reduce temperature to 350°F.

For medium-rare cook for about 35 minutes (130°F) or 40 minutes for medium (140°F.)

Twice Baked Potatoes

Spoiler

• Russet Potatoes
• Salt
• Pepper
• Trader Joe's Everyday Seasoning (use whatever tickles your pickle)
• Sharp Cheddar Cheese (use anything that melts nicely)
• Butter
• Cream/Half&Half/Milk

Preheat oven to 400°.

Place potatoes directly on the rack and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove, put on place/foil paper and pierce with a fork. 

Sprinkle with salt and return to the oven for 25 minutes.

Remove; let cool.

With a knife, cut out the top like a canoe

and scrape out the bottom, but be careful not to pierce the skin (if you do, you can use part of the top piece to "fill in the hole." Scrape any of the excess potato from the "top" part.

In a bowl, mash potatoes (or hand mixer them) with the cream and butter. At seasonings to taste.

Shred cheese and fold into mix with a rubber spatcula.

Spoon mixture in to the "hull" of the potato. 

Add tops to the sides, leaving the center open which you must sprinkle with cheese.

Bake for 20-25 minutes on a baking sheet.

Serve and try not to burn your tongue..

[jozkid]

I want this SOOOOOOO badly right now!

[lylysa]

Ermahhhgawd I love that you provided recipes! When I saw your food pic I was thinking "Gotta ask for recipes!" then I scroll down and TA-DA!!!! 

P.S. The canoe photo is priceless!

[knuevekm]

I used Evangeline's recipe and it was fantastic! Followed the recipes exactly and the timing was spot on. Thanks so much!

[lylysa]

Speaking of using recipes, I made the asiago mushroom chicken again for a few friends and this time I was more careful with the amount of liquids used and it came out just right! Wasn't as thick as the first time I made it so it was nice to see the difference made.

My friends absolutely loved it, thank you again for that, Knuevekm!

[lylysa]

Holy cow, this is more motivation for me to use these recipes now! 

That potato is calling my name!

[EvangelineDamon]

I'm so happy you enjoyed it!

It looks so darn good!!

[DiVWA]

I love the canoe photo! 😉 Thanks for sharing

[knuevekm]

I am definitely using this recipe! Thanks!

[weeeeweeeeeee]

I'm coming over for dinner.......

[DiVWA]

Yummy

[DiVWA]

Dinner was "fried rice" that uses quinoa instead of rice. This had red and white quinoa. Other ingredients were rainbow carrots, mushroom, red onion and scrambled egg. The carrots were yellow (that's the yellow chunk you see), orange and purple.

ETA: I appear to be about the only one posting the last few days. I think I'll have to take a break from this thread. 😉

[lylysa]

Nooooo, don't take a break! I've been absent from BT more than usual because of the holidays, but don't stop posting!! 😛

Question for you, DiVWA since you mention quinoa often. I have a bag of red quinoa that I've picked up from Costco and no matter how it's prepared (rice cooker mixed with brown rice or solo over the stovetop), ever now and again it's like I bite into a piece of sand or grit but there's a sharp crunching sound. Nothing crazy inedible where I have to spit up my bite but it throws me in for a loop. When I prepare rice I soak it a run, toss my fingers through it and then strain the water out and then add in more (kind of a simple rinse/wash concept) but since quinoa is so light there's no real way to get it to settle in the rinse/wash process without pouring some down the drain and I hate to waste. Do you ever come across that bit of grit when you're eating? Maybe it's normal? I've also purchased bags of garlic brown rice and quinoa at Costco that are a heat in a bag and eat and those never have that grit bit.

[DiVWA]

Lylysa, I almost didn't see this post since it dropped to page 2. Yes, I've had that gritty bit before. Some people think that quinoa should be rinsed before cooking, and I used to do so and lost quite a bit through my stainer. One time I forgot to rinse and I liked the taste better. One site tested two batches--one rinsed, one not--and found some differences in taste (site is thekitchn.com -- find the article by Googling "quinoa wash before cooking").

There is a blog entitled How to Remove Dirt and Sand from Your Quinoa (Google "quinoa grit") that maybe you want to look at. But it looks pretty involved..... but the blogger makes one point--the grit is same size as the quinoa grain pre-cooked, but when the quinoa is cooked, then it is smaller so easier to see.

I haven't bought the quinoa at Costco. I assume this is the Truroots brand? Maybe that one has more grit. I don't know. I get my organic red and white in bulk at a local market but I don't recall the brand. It's possibly Bob's Red Mill brand. Anyway, I don't seem to get much grit at all--maybe like every third time I eat it. I find the amount at Costco is too much for me to buy because I want it fresh and I like being able to get red to go with my white. I'm not sure if changing brands would help or if this is just one big negative associated with quinoa.

The main reason I like quinoa so much is that it's gluten-free, is like a grain (even though it's technically a seed), it has no arsenic (like rice, a gluten-free grain, which does), it keeps its shape, it's easy to cook/prepare, and its taste doesn't overwhelm other ingredient tastes. So I put up with the occasional grit. That said, if the grit were like a small stone, I'd probably not eat it because I'd be afraid of chipping a tooth. But as it is, it's an unpleasant but tolerable thing. But I don't blame you or anyone else for not wanting to eat it because of the grit. A good replacement would be organic couscous except it's not gluten-free.

[lylysa]

It's Earthly Choice for the red quinoa I have:

The rice mix bags that are heat and eat are Seeds of Change:

I figured that the washing process would be involved considering how tiny quinoa is to begin with and it's never like I can see the dirt/sand before even taking a bite. Out of all the times I've taken a bite it maybe only happens once per meal so it's not like every few bites it's a sharp grit feeling. 

I just Googled "quinoa grit" and see someone mentioning the Bob's Red brand that you did. I don't have any fine mesh strainers but I'm seeing those being used as a method in the cleansing/rinsing process. It's not a deal breaker for me but my bf has mentioned that even though the grit pieces are tiny and happen every now and again it still drives him nuts (to the point where we don't make it as often as when we first got the bag of it).

It's not like this though :P:

[EvangelineDamon]

Don't take a break!

I love looking at your yummies.

Are those carrots from Trader Joe's?

I love their heirloom carrots.

[DiVWA]

Yes, these are rainbow carrots from TJ's.

Have you tried their parsnips yet? They're not organic but they're perfect--clean and the right color/texture. I hate it when stores let their parsnips and other root veggies sit in water and get limp. 😞

[EvangelineDamon]

I haven't tried their parsnips yet.

Honestly, I am not sure if I've ever had a parsnip.

Any delicious recipes for me, DiVWA??

(check out the begging kitten below.)