Clean Eating: A Low-Carb Delight

Stuffed Green Peppers

I love stuffed peppers. I usually make them with rice, but I tried the recipe without the rice to be a little more low carb. The outcome was delicious.

Ingredients
1 lb. of ground turkey (93% lean)
4 green bell peppers
1/2 red onion
1 (14.5 oz.) can of diced tomatoes
2 oz. pepper jack cheese, shredded
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
sea salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste

Directions   
Preheat oven to 350 F.

Finely chop onions.

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions to heated pan. Cook until brown and softened, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Add ground turkey to pan with onion. Break up meat and add cumin, crushed red pepper, garlic powder, sea salt and black pepper. Stir to combine spices, onion and turkey together. Cook until turkey is browned.

Once meat is browned, add diced tomatoes to pan. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until tomatoes are heated through.

Cut green peppers in half lengthwise. Remove seeds and rinse peppers. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spray with cooking spray. Place green peppers on pan, cut side up.

Fill each pepper half with meat mixture. Sprinkle the top of each pepper with shredded cheese.

Bake peppers for 20 minutes. Increase oven to broil, and broil for another five minutes until cheese has browned.

Nutrition Facts
Serves 4
Serving Size 2 halves (368.1g)
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Calories - 283
Calories from Fat - 143
Total Fat - 15.9g
Saturated Fat - 6.6g
Cholesterol - 95mg
Sodium - 476mg
Total Carbohydrates - 11.9g
Dietary Fiber - 3.3g
Sugar - 7.0g
Protein - 27.7g
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Vitamin A - 24%
Vitamin C - 180%
Calcium - 31%
Iron - 16%



Zucchini Hashbrowns

I needed a great low-carb side dish to go with these stuffed peppers. I love a good potatoes, but I really didn't want to do a mashed cauliflower, which is usually my go to for a potato substitute. I knew I could make a hashbrown wannabe that was tasty. It even won the approval of my sister, the low-carb expert.

Ingredients
2 zucchini
1/3 cup of egg whites
1/2 red onion
2 oz. pepper jack cheese
sea salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste

Directions
Peel zucchini and trim ends. Grate the zucchini onto some paper towel. Blot grated zucchini with more paper towel to remove as much extra moisture as possible.

Finely dice onion.

Place grated zucchini, onion, shredded cheese and egg white in a large bowl. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Mix thoroughly to combine.

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Divide zucchini mixture into four portions. Press into patties and place in heated pan.

Cook patties until browned then flip and brown other side.

Nutrition Facts
Serves 4
Serving Size 152.9g
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Calories - 113
Calories from Fat - 69
Total Fat - 7.7g
Saturated Fat - 3.0g
Cholesterol - 15mg
Sodium - 230mg
Total Carbohydrates - 5.0g
Dietary Fiber - 1.4g
Sugar - 2.6g
Protein - 7.3g
----
Vitamin A - 7%
Vitamin C - 29%
Calcium - 12%
Iron - 2%


Enjoy this delicious and nutritious meal!

 

Refashion: From Hippy Chick to Fashion Chic

I've been quite fascinated by the concept of refashioning. I'm a big fan of Jillian, the refashionista. When I saw this refashion on her blog, I have just the skirt that would work for it.

I used to love this in college.

Following Sarah's instructions on her blog, I started out by pinning down each side of my skirt approximately 8 inches from the waist band. I took in each side by about 5.5 inches.

Pinning the hem.

 

Next, I cut 2 horizontal cuts on either side to make the arm holes.

One of my new sleeves.

Next, it's time to run it under my machine to create the seams down each side under the arm holes.

What's the problem here?

So, there I was trying to sew my seams. It's the first time I've touched my sewing machine in years. I somehow remembered how to thread the bobbin and the needle. Then, the moment I started to whir the machine, the top thread broke. I took out my soon-to-be dress to practice on a random piece of cloth.

Hello old dog toy turned practice sewing cloth

I tried many different ways of threading the machine, and each time I began my practice, the top thread would break. I read that breaking thread could be a result of the thread being too old. So, I put my project on hold and went to buy new thread. With new thread in the machine, I was optimistic it would work. Nope. My hopes were sinking for my project.

But I would not be deterred. I grabbed my thread, a needle and sat in a chair under a light. For 2.5 hours, I hand stitched those 2 long seams up each side of my would be dress. It took a long time backstitching every stitch, but I knew it would make me happy to finish this project.

Not as straight as a machine, but not bad.

Once I had each side sewed up, it was time to cut off all that excess fabric.

You're out of here!

I applied fray block to each of the sleeves to keep all those ravels from getting worse.

Ravel be gone

Last, but definitely not least, I gave each of my new seams a nice press with my iron on very low heat.

This is the first time I've touched an iron in seven years.

And presto, after donning one of Cliff's belts, I now have an interesting new frock to wear.

   Ta da!

 

 

 

 

 

Clean Eating: Turkey Philly Pita with Sweet Potato Chips and Sunshine Slush

A hearty delicious meal. 

I wanted something similar to a Philly cheesesteak with a yummy side. This is definitely a comfort food dish. It was very satisfying and still clean. 

Turkey Philly Pita

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground turkey

1 red bell pepper

1 green bell pepper

1 onion

1 cup sliced mushrooms

4 slices provolone cheese

4 whole wheat pita loaves

Yummy wholesome ingredients 

Directions:

Slice peppers and onions. Spray large skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium-high heat. Add peppers and onions. Cover and cook for 6 minutes until onions become tender. Season with salt and black pepper and add mushrooms. Cook another 3 minutes until veggies are tender.

Add turkey to skillet and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Stir to evenly combine veggies with meat.

Add cheese to top of meat. Cover and let cheese melt.

Slice a pita loaf in half and fill with one-quarter of the filling. Repeat with other three loaves. Eat and enjoy. 

Nutrition Facts

Serves 4

Serving Size = 1 pita loaf with 1/4 filling

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Calories - 293

Calories from Fat - 89

Total Fat - 9.9g

Saturated Fat - 5.4g

Cholesterol - 81mg

Sodium - 444mg

Total Carbohydrates - 15.2g

Dietary Fiber - 2.0g

Sugar - 4.1g

Protein - 36.7g

---
Vitamin A - 26%

Vitamin C - 107%

Calcium - 24%

Iron - 12%

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Sweet Potato Chips
Ingredients:

1.5 sweet potatoes

1/4 tsp sea salt

cooking spray

Sweet potatoes, both yummy and delicious 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Peel sweet potato. Using a mandolin, slice potatoes into rounds using the 1/8" setting.

Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Line with sweet potato discs. Spray top of potatoes with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt.

Bake for 18 minutes until browned.

Before the browning 

Nutrition Facts

Serves 4

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Calories - 42

Calories from Fat - 0

Total Fat - 0g

Saturated Fat - 0g

Cholesterol - 0mg

Sodium - 124mg

Total Carbohydrates - 9.8g

Dietary Fiber - 1.5g

Sugar - 2g

Protein - 0.8g

---
Vitamin A - 138%

Vitamin C - 2%

Calcium - 1%

Iron - 2%

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Sunshine Slush

Ingredients:

1 navel orange

1/2 cup diced pineapple

1 pinch cayenne pepper

1 packet stevia

6 ice cubes

water

It's a couple fruits away from being a fruit salad. 

Directions:

Peel and segment the orange. Chop pineapple into chunks. Add to blender with a pinch of cayenne and packet of stevia. Add ice cubes and enough water to thin it out. Puree until smooth. Pour and enjoy.

Sunshine in a glass 

Nutrition Facts

Serves 4

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Calories - 111

Calories from Fat - 3

Total Fat - 0.3g

Saturated Fat - 0g

Cholesterol - 0mg

Sodium - 2mg

Total Carbohydrates - 28.2g

Dietary Fiber - 4.4g

Sugar - 19.5g

Protein - 1.7g

---
Vitamin A - 8%

Vitamin C - 200%

Calcium - 7%

Iron - 2%

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Clean Eating: Roasted Chicken with Brown Rice & Broccoli

 

Nothing special, but it was yummy. 

I love roasted chicken. It's one of my favorite go-to proteins. I've become quite the master at making roasted chicken. And when you pair it with a grain and vegetable, what more could you need. Oh right, a yummy sauce to put on the grain. This recipe isn't rocket science, but it's the way I cooked my yummy dinner tonight.

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts (I used Perdue Perfect Portions)

1-2 bags of instant brown rice  (I used Success boil-in-bag rice)

1 (14 oz) package of frozen broccoli florets (I used Birdseye)

1 tbsp whole wheat flour

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

salt & pepper, to taste

cooking spray

Not a lot of ingredients needed for a lot of goodness.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 420 F.

Spray an ovenproof skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium-high heat. Season chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper. Place in hot pan, and sear for 4 minutes. Flip chicken breasts and place pan in preheated oven. Bake for 18 minutes.

The brown means it's good.

 

Meanwhile, fill a large pot with water. Submerge 1-2 bags of instant rice (it depends on how much you need; I only needed 1 bag tonight). Bring to a boil, and boil for 8-10 minutes. Drain water, open bag and add back to cooking pot.

Just because it's easy doesn't mean it's cheating.

To make a gravy for the rice, heat extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add whole wheat flour and stir to combine and cook down the flour. Add unsweetened almond milk and bring to a simmer. Stir frequently until thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over rice and stir to combine. The rice will have a risotto-like texture. If you make 2 bags of rice, you may want to double the gravy recipe.

The southern girl in me loves some good gravy.

Finally, it's time to quickly make the broccoli. Add the frozen florets to a microwave safe bowl. Cover with a lid and microwave for 6 minutes. Stir the broccoli halfway through cook time. Serve seasoned simply with salt and pepper.

 I always find a way to get my greens.

And now your dinner is ready to enjoy. So, why blog something so obviously easy to make and not creative? Monday nights tend to be my take-out nights because I always feel just a tad more tired on Mondays after work. So, this is definitely a good Monday night go-to meal. It's easy and quick to make, it tastes great and there's no guilt.

Serves 4 

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size = 1 chicken breast, 1/2 cup rice & gravy,  1/2 cup broccoli

_____________________________________________________________________________

Calories - 455

Calories from Fat - 122

Total Fat - 13.6g

Saturated Fat - 2.2g

Cholesterol - 96mg

Sodium - 1739mg

Total Carbohydrates - 43.0g

Dietary Fiber - 6.1g

Sugars - 1.2g

Protein - 42.2g

_____________________________________________________________________________

Vitamin A - 29%

Vitamin C - 85%

Calcium - 24%

Iron - 17%

I'm an amateur ready to turn into a professional

By day, I'm a hard working office professional, keeping my company humming along like a well-oiled machine.

 

Maybe this could be my professional head shot.

By night, I'm a "mother", a "maid", a "chef" and a fixer of all things domestic.

Honestly, this is the first time I've touched a broom in months.

Ok, all fiction aside, I'm an admin assistant with a local management consulting and investment banking firm. At night, I'm usually too tired (aka lazy) to really do anything. While I like to cook, I often find myself opting for take-out.

 My poor kitchen just screams out for attention when I neglect it.

While I have great ideas for how I want my house to look, I often can't find the motivation to even clean up. Fortunately, my "maid" (aka little sister) has offered to help me in this regard (for a price).

 

She doesn't complain about my mess. What more could I ask for?

By the time I get home from work, I'm ready to settle down with TV and the adoration of my "children".

 

There's the pups, Tokie & Piper

 

 The cats, Bingbong & Misser Kitty

 

The sugar gliders, Mika, Jack, Gadget, Gizzy Magoo & Taz

 

The rats, Doobie & Kodo

And last (but not least), the ferret, Dink-a-dink

Ok, I know all these animals love me. But if I'm really being honest with myself, their adoration is really for this guy:

The daddy, Cliff

If it wasn't for Cliff, I don't know if anything would ever get done around the house when my sister isn't there cleaning. He's really good about coming home from work and picking up a few things, he takes really good care of our menagerie and he never complains (much) when my laziness takes over.

So, here I am. Blogging about being an amateur domestic. What do I want to do with this blog? Well, I want it to help give me motivation and accountability on being an actual domestic when I'm home. I hope to use this blog as a way to showcase some undiscovered domestic talents that I have. Here are a couple of things I want to do.

I've really gotten fascinated with the concept of "refashioning" clothes. This year, I've been on a weight loss journey, and when my clothes started to become ill-fitting, I was just going to donate them, which is a noble thing to do. But maybe I can still get some life out of my old favorites by just "refashioning" them into something new and hopefully, improved. My goal is to refashion some clothes and share the results (good and bad) here.

My sewing area is just waiting for my first attempts at refashioning.

 As I mentioned above, I really do love cooking. Or at least, I love the process of putting together a bunch of ingredients and having it turn into something that tastes really yummy. Because of my current weight loss goals, I've actually been attempting to change my eating habits to be more in line with clean eating. So, for the cooking part of this blog, I would like to share some of the dishes I make, give credit to whomever came up with the dish (if it's just a recipe I follow) and also share some of my original recipes here as well. I have another blog called Recipe Random that is kind of defunct. I believe I'll just poach some of my recipes from there and see if I can improve upon them for my clean eating goals.

One of my original recipes, a Greek smoothie. This will make another appearance with the recipe info.

So, those are the two main things I will blog about, but if I ever come across any cool cleaning, pet care or other domestic-type things I want to share on this blog, I'll certainly blog about that as well.