menu: food fun!

creative way to prepare a salad..

i absolutely loved this!

tuna tar-tar...

hello! yum in my tummy!

fried crab wontons! also stuffed with cheese

(obviously this was not my meal, but LML's!)

my vegetarian entree...

spinach and tofu wrapped in phyllo-dough with

some sorta yummy sauce!

i forget what LML had...but to all you meat- lovers

i'm sure it looks yummy :)

this was one of the most filling meals we had ever had!

love me,

the globetrotting gamine

babaganoush recipe!

when i went to the farmer's market last week,

i don't know what possessed me to buy only one eggplant.

when i came home, i kicked myself because i have a million eggplant recipes

floating around my head

that i can use at the drop of a hat...

so i grabbed it and figured: let me make something new!

i researched and found...babaganoush!

so i sliced the baby in half, and put it skin-side up

on my greased baking pan with some cloves of garlic

and onions...

for about 45 minutes at 450 degrees until all was really mushy...

i added it to the eggplant meat to the blender

with some cayenne pepper, salt, a little extra virgin olive oil

and very finely chopped parsley...

and blended til mushy!

of course, you can add tahini,

but i was clean out.

and add lemon juice to taste...

extra yum factor!

love me,

the globetrotting gamine

*tips on babaganoush are welcome...and thank you so much for your sweet e-mails!

on the menu: cabbage and rice= yummy

at some point at the end of this winter was the first time i made cabbage with rice.

holy cow.

this is how it goes:

• i boil the cabbage until it's entirely soft and floppy
• i make the rice and put it to the side.
• then, sautee onions and stewed tomatoes in non-stick pan
• throw in cabbage which has been cut up in thin and bitty slices
• sautee til flavors blend
• add spices and mix
• when you think it's all perfectly married, throw in the rice [carefully]
• mix mix mix
• let sit until it looks pretty and serve when warm

ah yes...

you may sautee some ground beef

as if you were making meat marinara sauce

and throw that in their when you throw the rice in!

at the end,

i like adding hot sauce.

yummmmmmmmy

like you have no idea.

love me,

the globetrotting gamine

inspiration: hungry girl

i don't know if i've ever sung her praises on this blog, but i love hungry girl.

LOVE!

here are some A.M. recipes to help provide me with enough nutrition to keep self publishing and completing items on my to-do list:

Get ready, AM chewers. We're giving you a basic egg-scramble recipe (no pan or spatula needed!) and five SIMPLE ways to change it up.




The Easiest Egg Breakfast Ever...






The Egg Mug Classic


PER SERVING (entire mug): 95 calories, 2g fat, 490mg sodium, 3g carbs, 0g fiber, 2g sugars, 14.5g protein -- PointsPlus™ value 2*






Ingredients:


1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original)


One wedge The Laughing Cow Light Original Swiss cheese, cut into pieces














Directions:


Spray a large microwave-safe mug lightly with nonstick spray. Add egg substitute and cheese and stir. Microwave for about a minute. Stir gently, and then microwave for another 30 - 45 seconds, until scramble is just set. Stir and enjoy!






MAKES 1 SERVING














And Now, Variations on a Theme...






Egg Mug Florentine


PER SERVING (entire mug): 107 calories, 2g fat, 575mg sodium, 5g carbs, <0.5g fiber, 2.5g sugars, 15g protein -- PointsPlus™ value 2*






Ingredients:


1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original)


One wedge The Laughing Cow Light Original Swiss cheese, cut into pieces


1/2 cup chopped fresh spinach


1 tsp. Dijonnaise


1 tsp. plain fat-free yogurt


Squirt of lemon juice






Directions:


To make your sauce, stir to combine Dijonnaise, yogurt, and lemon juice in a small dish. Set aside.






Spray a large microwave-safe mug lightly with nonstick spray. Add just the spinach and microwave for 30 seconds. Blot excess liquid from spinach. Add egg substitute and cheese and stir. Microwave for about a minute. Stir gently, and then microwave for another 30 - 45 seconds, until scramble is just set. Stir, top with sauce, and enjoy!






MAKES 1 SERVING










Egg Mug Burger-rama


PER SERVING (entire mug): 175 calories, 0.5g fat, 995mg sodium, 14g carbs, 4g fiber, 6g sugars, 30g protein -- PointsPlus™ value 4*


























Ingredients:


1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original)


One slice fat-free American cheese, chopped


One Boca Original Meatless Burger (Vegan)


1 tbsp. ketchup






Directions:


Microwave Boca patty for 1 minute, and then chop into pieces. Spray a large microwave-safe mug lightly with nonstick spray. Add egg substitute, chopped Boca patty, and cheese, and stir. Microwave for about a minute. Stir gently, and then microwave for another 30 - 45 seconds, until scramble is just set. Stir, top with ketchup, and enjoy!






MAKES 1 SERVING














Egg McMuggin'


PER SERVING (entire mug): 174 calories, 3.25g fat, 1,081mg sodium, 9g carbs, 1g fiber, 2.5g sugars, 25g protein -- PointsPlus™ value 4*






Ingredients:


1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original)


One wedge The Laughing Cow Light Original Swiss cheese, cut into pieces


1 1/2 oz. (about 3 slices) extra-lean ham, chopped


One-half slice light bread (40 - 45 calories and at least 2g fiber per slice)


1 tbsp. shredded fat-free cheddar cheese






Directions:


Toast bread and cut into cubes. Spray a large microwave-safe mug lightly with nonstick spray. Add bread cubes, egg substitute, cheese wedge pieces, and ham, and stir. Microwave for about a minute. Stir gently, and then top with shredded cheese. Microwave for another 30 - 45 seconds, until scramble is just set. Stir and enjoy!






MAKES 1 SERVING










Egg Mug Lorraine


PER SERVING (entire mug): 128 calories, 4g fat, 730mg sodium, 3.5g carbs, 0g fiber, 2g sugars, 17.5g protein -- PointsPlus™ value 3*


























Ingredients:


1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original)


One wedge The Laughing Cow Light Original Swiss cheese, cut into pieces


1 tbsp. precooked real crumbled bacon (like the kind by Oscar Mayer)


1 tsp. dried minced onion


1/2 tsp. Dijonnaise






Directions:


Spray a large microwave-safe mug lightly with nonstick spray. Add all ingredients and stir. Microwave for about a minute. Stir gently, and then microwave for another 30 - 45 seconds, until scramble is just set. Stir and enjoy!






MAKES 1 SERVING










Egg Mug Mexicali


PER SERVING (entire mug): 116 calories, 0.5g fat, 579mg sodium, 5.5g carbs, 1.5g fiber, 1.5g sugars, 21.5g protein -- PointsPlus™ value 3*






Ingredients:


1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original)


1/4 cup frozen ground-beef-style soy crumbles (like the ones by Boca and Morningstar Farms)


2 tbsp. shredded fat-free cheddar cheese


1 tbsp. salsa






Directions:


Spray a large microwave-safe mug lightly with nonstick spray. Add egg substitute, soy crumbles, and cheese, and stir. Microwave for about a minute. Stir gently, and then microwave for another 30 - 45 seconds, until scramble is just set. Stir, top with salsa, and enjoy!






MAKES 1 SERVING





i'll be completing the egg mug classic, but with organic cheese...
while i go through e-mails, and books for ideas on EVERYTHING...
 
don't forget to check out my bookshop, here! 25% off today on 'Where Did All the Cookies Go?" and 'A Coincidence Away'....and last day of free shipping on lulu.com (code: ground)!!
 
happy monday greetings to all- hope you don't get snowed in on this first day of spring!
 

oh tuesday, tuesday

oh tuesday,
today you had me thinking about all i have to do and all i want to do.
you had me tying up loose ends at the homefront, so that i can venture out to places like this:

i have so much i would like to do this year- that i'm thinking

being home accomplishing what needed to be done

and planning out my year

was not at all bad...

in fact, i've quite enjoyed myself other than being sick.

LML and I have planned out our globetrotting for the year...

i guess you'll have to stay tuned :)  ...

and yesterday, while he lovingly prepared stuffed cabage leaves

(or laxanodomades, as we Greeks like to call them)

we daydreamed and drank wine about

all the fun we are SO ready for.

we have mapped out a not-so specific plan of action-

mine is a little more specific than his.

wherever we go, he's more of a traveler than a tourist...

we almost never go the tourist route...

and i am a total tourist in the state

of new york.

my type-a (when did that happen?) personality

is telling me to be a little more like LML

but i am just so EXCITED about what this year has in store.

if this weekend was any kind of prelude to what

we're headed towards this year- bring it on, 2011!

so if you live anywhere in the tri-state area

or have visited, and would like to hear my thoughts

about somewhere you've been...

please let me know!

i'd like to keep you as entertained and happy as possible this year!

lots of love <3

food fun

Recipe for my Special Okra (Copyrighted, seriously)

one bag of frozen okra...mmmmmm

make sure you have bakeware to throw them into...

chop up some tomatoes...

bay leaves (2)...

salt and pepper to taste...

oregano...

splash of vinegar...

splash of lemon juice or lime juice...

sometimes i add a little mint

or in the place of pepper- cayenned pepper

toss it around and

put it in the oven for

about an hour and 30 minutes...

taste one and if you likey

great...

if not, cook for another 15 minutes.

tell me what you think. this is my comfort food,

a spinoff from my 'the kind diet' project.

what's on your menu's this weekend?

share with me :)

last night's dinner menu

i was cleaning out that pantry

so i took out the breadmaker,

and the semolina pasta flour

and figured, let me use it :)

so there goes the semolina flour and other ingredients. i always add herbs to mine to

make it taste nice.

that was after some rolling. i brushed the top with almond milk

this was the second

(yes, second)

loaf of the day.

i had the ingredients, and figured, why not?

we can use it for dinner and freeze what we don't use til next time.

oh, there's the second batch being stirred.

ah, dinner.

"take out the tilapia and season it" LML said.

so i did.

and he cooked it because i burn things.

leafy yummy greens.

sauteed in e.v.o.o with garlic, of course.

hands down, with the tomato salad

it's one of my favorite dinners ever!

what is your favorite dinnerm?

following the kind diet- menu

yesterday, my mushy puppy slept all night...and then from 7 am til 3pm.

again.

i was bored, so i went on a cooking-kick

i took the leftover quinoa from my pantry and decided to use it

because it makes me feel better

and i love it

then, i cleaned (very good) the spinach.

and sauteed it with e.v.o.o and garlic.

mmmmm

and i mixed it up and ate it.

i felt better :)

let's go on vacation recipe

i wish.
somewhere warm, please.

if you're uber-lucky- you're able to get out of a snowy place to go somewhere warm...

here's a plan to whittle down your body before the beach reveal day...i love these <3

• eat four 300 calorie meals a day for 3-5 days
• smoothie- 1 cup vanilla soy milk, 1 cup frozen blueberries, and 1 tbsp omega 3 oil (i always add a banana and spirulina to my smoothies)
• natural peanut butter with apple slices...NOT FROM MCDONALD'S
• vegetarian lentil soup (love being greek) with some avocado and a sprinkle of sliced almonds

and what I CAN'T WAIT TO TRY...because i'm out of lettuce :
mix 1/4 cup hummus
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper sauteed in e. v. o. o.

fill 4 large outer Romaine-lettuce leaves.

loooooooove.

happy lunchtime y'all

what to do with soggy tomatoes

an interlude before beginning my kind diet journey...

what do you do with soggy tomatoes?

don't throw them away...

cook with them,

or make them half a meal ;)

Tomatoes and Eggs

(like am omellette, but Greek-Style)

1- cut up your soggy tomatoes and throw them in your wok or frying pan with extra virgin olive oil!

2- adjust egg amount to however many people will be consuming the delish-dish. i use a lot because sometimes i make a sandwich the next morning for myself.

don't you love my plates? on sale at century 21 back in 2005- when we got married!

3- shake whatever you think appropriate into the eggs. a pinch of salt, pepper, oregano and garlic powder for me.

add to your tastes.

4- my favorite part- beat the eggs into submission.

5- they should look something like this when you're done

6- if it's too juicy, get rid of some fluid. if not, throw in the eggs!

it's a party in there!

7- flip flop the eggs and tomatoes until it looks like most moisture has been absorbed.

LML likes the final product piece-y but an omelette-like way is good, too!

it's all the same when it's taking up residency in your stomach...right?

what's the weirdest thing you put in an omellette?

love me,

the globetrotting gamine

Alicia's Shopping list

(as written on Oprah.com, January 21, 2010)

 

When Alicia Silverstone went vegan, she was afraid she'd never have a good meal again. "I ended up realizing I'm eating even better food than I ever was eating before," she says. "You don't have to sacrifice taste one bit."

 

 

 

Follow Alicia on a trip to the grocery store.

 

 

 

Not sure if you could make the change? Just try her list of vegan must-haves. "I'm going to show you all the things that I love and basically just show you that you can flirt with a healthy lifestyle. It doesn't have to be scary."

 

 

 

 

 

The List

 

• Follow Your Heart cheese
• Vegenaise
• Earth Balance butter
• Field Roast sausages
• Tempeh bacon
• Sunspire chocolate chips
• Annie's Naturals Goddess organic salad dressing
• Brown rice penne pasta
• Organic olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar
• Gardein Chick'n Scallopini (meatless)
• Amy's Organics soups
• Whole grain rice
• Organic EdenBlend Rice & Soy Beverage
• Hemp milk
• Leafy greens
• Maple syrup as a sugar alternative
• Rice Dream Mud Pie (Mint is Alicia's favorite)
• Whole grains
• Newman's Own Organics Dairy-Free Newman-O's cookies
• Luna Bar (Alicia likes the chocolate peppermint stick flavor)

what will i think of next

good morning :)

i love carmen sandiego- and if you've been hanging around here a while...

you'd know that she's a big "role model" of mine...

even though she's fictional.

she runs around like a chicken without a head

to steal or manage a heist...

i run around like a chicken without a head,

to get everything done before i leave

to go somewhere else!

this year i've decided:

i'm going to clean up our food intake a little more

and follow

Alicia Silverstone's, The Kind Diet.

LML gave me the inspiration-

when i was having a bad cooking week.

i was on my cycle, OK?!

geez.

so here's the plan:

•  3 of Alicia's recipes a week
• a mix of my Greek Heritage's/Mediterranean "Diet" every week. They've been passed down to me by my family and LML's "should have been chefs" family
• how we faire along the way.

it won't be so difficult. like i've said, we've changed a lot of our eating habits and lost a bucket load of weight.
over 40 lbs. in the past 3 years is pretty much a good loss, don't you think?

obviously, frequent fruit markets and greek food stores quite often.
we're willing to also expand our horizons and venture into different "supermarkets" for fun.

we're also very keen on making our own concoctions and creations, so join us for the ride!

please note: we are not vegans. we eat a lot of vegetables, which are the mainstaple to our diet. we eat meat or chicken, organic, maybe twice a week for LML and maybe once for me. i am lactose intolerant so i've been staying away from dairy products as much as possible...so far, so good! and, we're sushi addicts. we will never give up a seafood meal because we were raised on eating fish. Especially since our parents came here from Greece.

the following photos are from our meal test...

the above photo is a little blurry, so these were our ingredients:

• extra virgin olive oil from LML's farm in Greece
• Green Peppers
• Mushrooms! Portobello, please.
• zucchini sliver's
• onions
• garlic (make sure onions garlic and onions are carmelized before you throw in the rest)
• oregano
• sea salt, a pinch
• pepper

so we threw everything after we sauteed the garlic and onions in non-stick wok.

and waited until they were the perfect consistency

and all the yumminess melded together.

then, we sauteed broccoli rabe with garlic in the extra virgin olive oil....

and that's what it looked like. yum yum...

oh yeah! in that vegetable mixture we made...

we also threw in tofu!

that is what the final product looked like. of course, i stuck my fill in two wraps, and LML just enjoyed eating it without the wrap-ness.

love at first bite.

i call it, tofu-stir fry medley (wrap optional!)

so there it is, my friends. we will be going around the world with our menu's as well as via my blog and nuttiness.

if you have any ideas, please throw them my way.

alicia, you are an inspiration!!

thanks for visiting me, everyone!
happy wednesday fun to all!

love me,
the globetrotting gamine

december menu item!

someone remind me that I will be making a broccoli and feta frittata!!

i found the recipe in all you magazine. It's freaking awesome! (that magazine and the recipe)

it's worth me risking my lactose intolerance and taking my dairy pills!!

Prep: 5 min.
Cook: 18 min.
Serves: 4

1 tbs. unsalted butter
1/2 onion, finely diced
2 cups chopped broccoli florets
salt and pepper
7 large eggs
3 oz. good feta, crumbled.

in 8 inch oven proof pan, melt butter over medium heat. throw in onions and wait til they become translucent.
toss in broccoli, salt, and pepper.

preheat boiler to high and set and oven rack nearby. throw together your 7 now-whisked eggs. Pour over veggies, stir to combine and then crumble feta on top...I WOULD THROW IT IN THERE TOO!!

Broil two to three minutes. Keep your eye on it!

cut into wedges and serve at room temperature.

mm mmmmm mmmmm!

love me,
the globetrotting gamine who can't wait to make this bad boy!

pies, pies, pies

my mommy taught me this year.

she is my inspiration :)

to eat or not to eat

i wouldn't say i was overweight before i got married.
that is, i wouldn't say it then. but i was.

when i got married, for example, i had to feed this whole other person AND myself. i knew that LML came from a home where is mother made huge, delicious meals, and that i wasn't up to par because...

let's face it, i was brand new :)

but what we had been eating, and what we *were* eating when we got married was

entirely.

bad.

for.

us.

thankfully though, people grow up.

thankfully, we always enjoyed eating fruits and vegetables...

but we ate too much meat, and not enough everything else.

i don't remember *how* our eating habits changed...

we didn't have a lot (barely any even though i was working, too)

of money when we just got married, so once it started to improve-

we

went to

the

fruit market.

i love the fruit market. when we went for the first time, we filled up the house with fresh food.

we learned how to sautee things. we ate more vegetables, and over-all clean things

to the point where people thought we were dieting to the extreme. we ate more garlic.

consumed more e.v.o.o. even drank more wine :) introduced fiber to our diets...and...

then i didn't have digestive problems anymore...

and i discovered i was lactose intolerant.

*i used to eat cheese like it was my JOB! many people would attest :)*

really, food is a beautiful thing.

i wish i could be a vegan, but when i shop...

i lose all control and don't see that one thing is made of leather...

and the other thing was tested on animals.

i don't like buying things that have been tested on animals...

so any recipes or product ideas or tips you can pass along

would be much appreciated :)

what habits have you changed in the last five years?

love,

mg

Tuesday Tinkerin'

I got up as the sun tried to peek out from behind the clouds...

threw some ingredients together and made bread pudding. My first time ever! Delish...The result?

Yep. Heart shaped bread pudding. Pictured here without the maple syrup. Yum.

I've also almost finished working on a keepsake box. It looks like this so far:

(last photo is the bottom of the box)

More soon...putting together a giveaway soon :)

*MG*