Homemade Ranch and Cauliflower Poppers

I literally jumped down from the table, just so excited to write this post.  Tonight's dinner was so yummy.  You see, I love Ranch and I love Cauliflower. Mmmmm...And both include dill which I love as well.

I made Ranch Pork Chops using home made ranch seasoning, and Cauliflower Poppers.

Homemade Ranch Seasoning (Look - I figured out how to make the link look pretty)

I've been looking for Ranch Seasoning for a while, that is just the seasoning and not the dressing.  I really dislike the packets that you buy in the store - look at the list of ingredients and you'll find a long list of things that you can't pronounce.  That can't be good for you.  This is so simple that you most likely already have the ingredients without having to go to the store.  I doubled the recipe and will put it in my trusty Tupperware shaker container (when my husband gets home and finds them for me...).  Now, if you're too lazy to make this, then you are a very lazy person.  It's harder to walk the aisles in the grocery store to find the ranch packets, not to mention that it's a heck of a lot cheaper than buying it ready made.

I sprinkled it on both sides of boneless porkchops and threw them in the oven at 400F for 40 minutes, turning them over halfway.

I'm not kidding when I say this was delicious!

Cauliflower Poppers

I really love Cauliflower.  I could eat it everyday, and I never knew how versatile it is.  I usually eat a cauliflower version of rice instead of rice, but I'll get to that on another post when I make it next. But anyway, I was very excited to see this recipe which is simple and looked great.

The recipe called for the juice of one lemon. I didn't have one, but I did have one of those lemon juice containers which looks like a plastic lemon so I just eyeballed what seemed like the equivalent of the real thing.  I also didn't have garlic, so I used the powdered version.  And I didn't have dijon mustard, so I used yellow mustard.  And I have no clue what the yeast stuff is. I did google it and it says it has a nutty flavor.  I hate nuts of any kind so I just didn't put it in there.

Once again, it was so easy to put together and whisk up.  I just threw it onto a baking sheet and into the oven.  (400 F for 40 minutes, turning midway - exactly the same as the porkchops).

I'm telling you.  Delicious.  I think that had I used the correct ingredients  - the dijon in particular - it would have a little less of a tangy bite, but who cares.  I loved it and I'll most definitely make it again.

The Perfect 10 Diet

I was asked what 'The Perfect 10' Diet is that I am following.  It's by Dr Aziz and it's basically is a diet/lifestyle that not only helps you lose weight, but how to maintain it for life.  There's no deprivation at all, and the idea is that you use food and exercise to balance your hormones.

http://www.perfect10diet.com/

There are three stages, and I'm currently on Stage One. To cut a long story short, there is 3 weeks of a Paleo Type diet: No grains/potatoes or sugar.  It has taken me a while to get used to adapting meals so that I can cut out rice/pasta or potatoes, but it's really not that hard.  I eat a lot of fruits and veggies, I eat scrambled eggs in the morning - none of this egg white nonsense, I eat salads, fish, chicken.  I really don't feel deprived.  And I've lost 5lbs in my first week (much to the dismay of the seamstress who took my dress in last week and yelled at me today when she needed to take it in again).

Stage Two you begin to add in grains again so long as it's not the refined crap and you do it in moderation.  

I really like this diet as he tells you to absolutely not fall victim to the low fat/non fat stuff that litters the grocery store.  And since knowing this, I find that the second ingredient is always some form of sugar...which makes your insulin levels go all funky.

I've switched to Whole Milk and butter - no more margarine and skim milk.  And guess what - my stomach is much happier with me and I'm still losing weight.

Chocolate Frosting Shots

If you read the title of this post you may have be as excited as I was when I saw this pin.  Chocolate Frosting Shots made out of coconut milk and cocoa!! I'm in!!  

http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2012/01/16/chocolate-frosting-shots/

I'm telling you. I was so excited for this because it would have been a perfect sweet treat that would not be cheating for Perfect 10.

I got my coconut milk and left it in the fridge overnight with the top off.  Then the next evening I added my cocoa and vanilla and was so excited to have a spoonful of deliciousness.....

BLECH!!!

Not at all what I was expecting.  Now, she did say that the coconut  milk has to be fresh to become thick which mine did not.  But there was no sweetness at all....like I was eating liquid cocoa.  And we know that cocoa by itself is no bueno.

So there is no picture of mine as it went down the drain before I could get the word 'blech' out of my mouth.

I'm really disappointed, but hopeful that I can find a non-dairy, non-sugar, non-fake sugar, non-carb sweet piece of deliciousness.  

And yes I know the answer is fruit.

Baked Chicken with Greek Yogurt

I saw the picture of this on pinterest and it really did make my mouth water.  And in the comment line it said to use Greek Yogurt, not Mayonnaise.  I'm all over that since the thought of a chicken breast covered in mayo does not appeal.

 

Here's the link for the original recipe:

http://www.food.com/recipe/melt-in-your-mouth-chicken-breast-37336

So with 1 Cup of Greek Yogurt and eye balling the rest of the recipe I mixed it together and threw it in the oven. I also used shredded cheddar since I didn't have Parmesan and I wasn't about to use the dried powder stuff.  I was also making Tastefully Simple Beer Bread, but used Sprite instead of beer since I don't have any beer right now.  So both of them baked away while I twiddled my thumbs.

The bread was ready, and I let the chicken go a little longer...it was a tad bit pale...And then I broiled it. 

Well. I wish with my first experiment for you I could wow you with something amazing that you would fall off your chair looking at and tell me that I'm a Goddess in the kitchen.

So it didn't look as amazing as the pinterest picture.  The pinterest picture looked mouthwatering golden and crispy.  As you can see, mine doesn't look like that.  I'm figuring the Greek Yogurt and the cheddar cheese would account for the difference.  The taste I'm glad to say was pretty good, and it was very moist as promised.

The "Sprite Bread" was amazing...and you could actually taste a hint of lime which was really pleasant. 

As for the Perfect 10 Diet....well, I ate a small slice of bread which is strictly forbidden in Phase One and in my defense its my first slip up in a week in the carb department....and sugar.  Dang it!! Oh well, I'm not going to kick myself over that and I'll get back eating better tomorrow.

Let me first start out by saying that I'm not the crafty type, nor a fancy chef.  I'm not one of those Super Mom's who have their kids in perfect outfits, doing the perfect after school activities, eating perfect meals. I'm just the average girl trying to figure out life in America, dealing with the Army lifestyle...and pinterest allows me to day dream about being that perfect Suzy Homemaker.

My husband was a cook in the Army for 12 years, and then went to the dark side...Yes ooooh, he's a Warrant Officer.  So I was always shy about cooking around him.  You see, when I first moved with him to America I had it perfect.  If he worked in the DFAC (Chow Hall, dining facility...whatever you want to call it) early, then he would be home on time to cook for me. And if he worked late...I would go there to eat.  I never had to cook.  BLISS!! It's very intimidating to cook for someone who is a natural.  And then being a Kiwi, trying to figure out the ingredients and where to find things in the store was a slight challenge.

I'm also slightly on the chunky side, so I'm looking for ways to slim down.  I follow the Perfect 10 diet which is working - so I need to cook healthy food that my kids will like.

I have chronic back pain which I'm trying to fix with Physical Therapy and exercise.

And I like to do crafty things...even though it's not my strong point.  But I love giving homemade gifts.  Some things have been very cute and I'm pretty sure that the recipients liked them....they better like them or I'll scream. 

Kidding.  

Sort of.

So this blog will follow my adventures in Pinterest.  Some people pin thousands and thousands of things, but then never do anything with them.  I love actually trying new things, and changing things up where I need to in order to fit in with my dietary needs and what my kids might like.

So wish me luck, and hopefully you'll enjoy the ride...or the misadventures!! 

PS.  I will always try to acknowledge the original author/cook/crafty person etc.  If I don't, I apologize in advance.