MARGARITAVILLE® VOLCANO NACHOS

Make your favorite guacamole or use one of the recipes on my blog. You will need less than one avocado's worth of guacamole so adjust the recipe you use.

Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville® Volcano Nachos

Guacamole1 large bag corn tortilla chips
1 cup Tostito Salsa Con Queso
1 cup chili-homemade or from supermarket
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 medium tomato, diced
5-6 green onions,sliced
Canned Jalepeno slices

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Mix shredded cheeses together.

Make guacamole.

Arrange a layer of tortilla chips on oven safe plate. Add 1/3 cup cheese sauce, then another layer of chips, with 1/3 cup more cheese and the final layer of chip topped with the remaining 1/3 cup cheese sauce. Top with the remaining chips.

Add shredded beef and top with shredded cheese.

Place nachos in oven and bake 9-10 minutes to melt cheese.

Remove nachos from oven and add diced tomatoes and green onions.

Add a 1/4-1/3 cup each of guacamole and sour cream on top of nachos.

Top with jalapeno slices to taste on sour cream and guacamole.

By Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville

Yamburgers! With Sweet Potato Fries, for good measure...

(Sweet potato black bean and corn patties with chipotle cilantro 'cream' and sweet potato fries - vegan - recipe in post)



I'm not gonna lie, I love a big juicy hamburger. Go ahead and top it with bacon while you're at it, and I'll be a happy girl. But carnivorous tendencies aside, because they by no means negate the deliciousness of this veggie burger. So if you're thinking to yourself 'why would I bother making a meat-free burger when I eat meat?' - don't. This burger doesn't deserve such blatant discrimination. In fact, it won't stand for it! It's too good for that.


Top this flavor packed patty with a dollop of (vegan) chipotle/cilantro/lime cream and a few slices of avocado and you are just asking for tasty, tasty trouble.

(Unleash your inner vegan... you know you want to.)

Yamburgers with Chipotle Cilantro Cream and Yam Fries
(Vegan and gluten-free - makes 8-10 patties)

2 large sweet potatoes (about 2 lbs.), cut into 1/2 inch cubes
15 oz. black beans, drained
1 cup sweet corn
1/2 onion, finely chopped
3/4 cup quinoa, cooked
1/2 cup rolled oats (or almonds)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 TBSP cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. coriander
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4-1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, or cayenne (more or less to taste)
1/4 tsp. cracked black pepper

Oil for pan frying.

For the chipotle/cilantro cream:
2 cups raw cashews, soaked in water (can be replaced with 1.5 cups vegan sour cream or mayonnaise)
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
2 limes, juiced
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, packed
Pinch of salt

For the fries:
2 sweet potatoes
2 TBSP olive oil
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne
a few grinds black pepper


(Note: for those who are anti-sweet potato - blasphemy! - you could always replace them with regular spuds.)

Method:
Cube your potatoes (leaving the skin on) and either oven roast (400f.), steam, or microwave in a large heat-safe bowl with a couple TBSP water until tender - I find the microwave to be a real time saver, and takes about 6-8 minutes. Stop to give them a stir every minute or two, until mashably soft.

Meanwhile, cook your quinoa. A 1/2 cup of dry will make enough for the burgers, but feel free to make extra. Add the quinoa to a small pot over medium heat, and let it toast for a minute or two. Add double the amount of water, bring to a simmer, and cover. Let cook 12-13 minutes, turn off the heat, and let it sit without removing the lid for another 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, meanwhile... Add your oats (or almonds) to the bowl of your food processor and pulse until it looks like very coarse flour. About 30-40 pulses.

In a large bowl, combine about 2/3rds of the beans, and 2/3rds of the sweet potato. Mash with a potato masher until slightly chunky and not quite smooth. Add in the rest of the beans, sweet potato and all of the seasonings. Give it another mash or two, keeping some of the texture.
Add all the other ingredients, and stir to combine.

Heat a skillet over medium-high, and add a drizzle of oil. Form about 1/2 cup of the mixture into a tight ball, then press it between your hands into a patty. Place patties in the hot skillet and cook 4-5 minutes per side. Remove to a plate in the oven to keep warm, and repeat with the rest of the mixture. Add oil and adjust the heat on the pan as needed.

For the chipotle/cilantro cream:
If you're using vegan sour cream or mayo, simply combine all ingredients in your food processor.
If not, drain the cashews and dump them to the food processor. Add the juice of both limes, and blend until smooth. Slowly add 3/4 - 1 cup water, until the cashews are about the consistency of a thick sour cream.
Add the peppers and garlic, blend until smooth, and then add the cilantro. Pulse a few times to combine, and season with a pinch of salt to taste.

For the fries:
Preheat the oven to 400f.
Cut the sweet potatoes into thin, uniformly sized matchsticks. Toss with the oil, then the spices, and spread on an aluminum-foil covered baking sheet. Keep them spaced so they don't steam themselves.
Bake on the lower rack of the oven for 12-15 minutes, then take them out and stir/flip them over.
Return them to the oven, reduce the heat to 350f., and continue to bake for another 12-15 minutes.
Turn off the heat, and crack the oven door open. Let them sit in the heat of the oven to lose some of their steam for another 5-10 minutes before serving.

(Tip: extra chipotle/cilantro cream makes a great dip for the fries!)

You know what I love about these? Besides the taste. And how easy they are to make. And how good for you they are. And... sorry... you know what I love about these? They aren't trying to pretend to be meat! They aren't made of overly processed soy, or "textured vegetable protein" - and they don't taste like a hamburger. They taste like... well, yamburgers! Really, really delicious yamburgers!

I'm pretty sure the only way you could not like these is if you don't like sweet potatoes. Which I can only imagine is like your taste buds being color blind, and they can't see red - you're missing out on a whole world of flavor! But, as I said... they can easily be substituted with regular potatoes for a (less awesome) but still delicious, burger.
Perfect for a meatless monday, or any day of the week!


I'm a big fan of sweet potatoes - as burgers, fries, chips, grilled, skewered, in soup, pies... the list goes on and on. What's your favorite way to use these sweet spuds? Let me know in the comments!
By Will Cook for Friends

More weight loss Inspiration_Just Do It!!

8 Tips to Help You Get Lean, Get Healthy

1.       Notice why you eat. We all eat for different reasons—not just to nourish our body. It’s okay to find a certain degree of comfort in a perfectly-baked brownie. Just become aware that you do. Notice if you connect food—or certain types of food—with memories or feelings.
2.       Recognize. Identify anxiety, worries, and lingering stress for what they really are, rather than trying to interpret them as hunger that can be solved with food.
3.       Fill up on the good stuff. Aim to fill half your dish with vegetables, a quarter with whole grains, and a quarter with healthy lean protein.
4.       Prevention is key. Add stress management techniques such as yoga and meditation to your life. They are just as important—and some would say more important than—counting calories, since recent research has shown that extra stress can lead to extra weight.
5.       Choose the right carbs. Some carbs will send your blood sugar spiraling up or down and the stress-related fight-or-flight hormone cortisol into high alert. Learning how to choose the right carbohydrates will help you decrease stress—and the likelihood of weight gain.
6.       Drink more water. Studies show that if you drink a glass of water before eating, you’re less likely to overeat. Plus, there are about a hundred other benefits to drinking lots of the good stuff—including beautifying ones. Water helps battle hunger, keep cells and digestive and metabolism systems working properly, and washes away toxins. Add lemon to stimulate digestion—a great idea first thing in the morning.
7.       Craving control. When a craving hits, respond not with guilt and avoidance, but with a nutritious, delicious snack. Healthy snacking keeps your metabolism up and your cravings down, and when mealtime comes you will be less likely to binge on too much (or unhealthy) food.
8.       Hunger helper. Stay tuned into your hunger. Learn to eat when you are actually hungry. For you that may mean three regular meals or three to six smaller meals, plus a few healthy snacks.
By My Yoga Online♥

ARCHIVE RSS ASK Theme

MOTIVATION

DETERMINATION

LOVE YOURSELF

CONFIDENCE

TAKE TIME TO EXERCISE

GET HEALTHY

TRIM IT!

EAT LIKE A CHAMP!!

THINK LIKE A CHAMP!

MOTIVATE YOURSELF

YOU CAN DO IT

ALWAYS LOVE YOURSELF!!

NO RESISTING!!

IT'S ALL ABOUT YOU NOW

EAT MORE RAW

YOU ARE WHAT YOUR WORTH

BUILD YOURSELF

SELF LOVE ALWAYS

ENCOURAGE OTHERS

HEALTHY EATING

DON'T BEND THE RULES

JUST DO IT!!

 

Good Wine under $20

I'm not sure why Syrah tastes like summer to me--but it does. And by 'tastes like summer' I don't mean it's the kind of wine you reach for in July: cool, fresh, and zingy. I'm talking, instead, about a wine that conjures up images of fruit ripening on the vine, dusty back roads, purple-and-red sunsets, and a garden full of herbs ready for picking.

Now that we're approaching midwinter, a touch of summer might be welcome. If so, why not warm up your evening with a beautiful, affordable bottle of Syrah, like this excellent QPR bottling?

The 2008 Andrew Murray Syrah Tous les Jours (suggested retail, $16; average retail price via online retailers, $17) is an exceptional bottle of wine for the price. There is a beautiful balance between the fruit, herb, and mineral notes in this rich Syrah. Black fruits dominate the aromas and flavors, and I detected black currants and blackberries. The wine has a smoky, spicy edge followed by a clean, crisp aftertaste. The wine's good acidity will make it pair with a wide variety of foods, including roasted and grilled dishes, Moroccan food, and even hamburgers.

To go with your Syrah, try this delicious pan-roasted eggplant and lamb pasta sauce from Mark Bittman's Food Matters Cookbook. If you are vegetarian, it would be easy to leave out the lamb and still be left with a rich, flavorful sauce. The acidity of the tomatoes will not clash with this wine, the eggplant's bitterness will be a nice foil for the fruit, and the oven roasting will bring out the smokiness of the wine.

Fire Up the Grills--and Buy Cabernet Sauvignon

It was 90 degrees in Los Angeles. I know it's snowing in Buffalo, but here it is spring (or maybe even summer). So last night I fired up the grill for the first time, marinaded a skirt steak, threw some sweet potatoes in the oven (note to self: roasting potatoes in oven for an hour heats up the house), and tossed some cherry tomatoes with mozzarella, fresh basil, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Then I hit the Cabernets.

I love grilled steak with Cabernet Sauvignon, and I have three recommendations for you: one under $10, one under $15, and the other just a hair over $20. Even if you are experiencing snow, these wines would also be good with stews, braised short ribs, or a pot of chili.

Under $10: 2009 Big House Wine Company The Usual Suspect Cabernet Sauvignon (suggested retail $9.99; available for $6-$10). Not the most complex Cabernet, perhaps, but a solid example of the grape with characteristic plum and currant aromas. The palate was dominated with plum notes and accented by a bitter taste reminiscent of coffee grounds. The aftertaste was nicely bitter, too, which kept this fruit-forward wine from becoming too jammy. A touch of Grenache is blended into the Cabernet. Good QPR.

Under $15: 2009 Robert Oatley Cabernet Sauvignon James Oatley TIC TOK (suggested retail $14; available for $12-$16) This is another fruit-forward Cabernet, with currant and blackberry aromas and flowers. A spicy aftertaste is accompanied by nice tannins that have just enough grip. Very good QPR.

Just Over $20: 2008 Viña Robles Cabernet Sauvignon Huerhuero Vineyard (suggested retail $22; this new release currently available at the vineyard; previous releases available elsewhere for $15-$25) This was a wonderful wine, and tasted like something considerably more expensive than the sticker price. Aromas and flavors of currant, pencil lead, and eucalyptus made for an elegant and complex wine. With air, the currant notes turn plummy. The aftertaste is smooth, with spicy, well-integrated tannins. This is a lot of wine for $22, and excellent QPR.

posted by Dr.Debs

Fish Eye Pinot Grigio: A Genuine Bargain in White Wine

I first enjoyed the Fish Eye Pinot Grigio in 2009 with my fellow wine bloggers at our annual conference (and wrote about that experience here). It was a humbling moment for many of us, who were a bit sniffy about the wine based on the cute label, its availability in large-format bottles and boxes, and because it was Pinot Grigio. There is a lot (and I do mean a lot) of terrible, cheap Pinot Grigio out there. So much of it, in fact, that I've stopped ordering it in restaurants.

So it is with great pleasure that I report that the 2011 Fish Eye Pinot Grigio still has a suggested retail price of $7 (though you can find it in the market for prices between $5 and $10), it is still delicious, it is still widely available throughout the country, and it is still excellent QPR. Expect zesty, pure lemon and lime aromas and to have those scents echo through the flavors. You might detect a nice peachy note as you sip, which takes off some of the bitterness that can be associated with Pinot Grigio.

This is a versatile, food-friendly wine that is light enough to pair with vegetables and salads at a weekend lunch, will be a great companion to asparagus and lemon pasta as you work your way into your spring recipes, and will be welcome at summer barbeques so if you see some on the shelf give it a try.

Autumn Chicken Salad with Dried Cranberries and Grapes

Big Dudes Eclectic Ramblings

Autumn Chicken Salad with Dried Cranberries and Grapes

2 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 cup thinly sliced celery

1 cup halved green grapes (red would be even prettier for the season)
1/4 cup chopped red onion
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

1 cup mayonnaise or Miracle Whip salad dressing

1/2 cup heavy whipped cream (whipped until soft peaks form)

1 tablespoon freshly diced Italian parsley
(use any or all of the following seasonings to your taste preference)
1 tsp. chopped fresh tarragon or dill
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. onion powder
1/8 tsp. poultry seasoning

1/8 tsp. curry powder (if desired, optional)

1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper

paprika

Italian parsley

large tomatoes

lettuce varieties of choice

Combine the first dry ingredients in one large bowl.
In another medium sized bowl, blend the mayonnaise, whipped cream, and spices.
Add the mayonnaise mixture to the chicken and other ingredients.
Mix well.
Adjust seasonings as desired.
Cut out large tomatoes.
Lay tomatoes on bed of lettuce, or inside a half head of iceburg lettuce.
Place the chicken salad inside the tomatoes and around the lettuce.
Sprinkle with paprika.
Garnish with sprigs of Italian parsley.

Green Smoothies for Detoxing

Green De-Tox Weight-Loss Smoothie

(from 'nutrition to invigorate mind body and spirit)

1 - 2 bananas

1/2 cup frozen peaches

1/2 cup frozen mango

a couple handfuls of spinach

1/4 cup of water

ice (if desired)

Add more water if necessary 

Since I don't have a juicer (on the wish list), I used a mini food processor and followed up with my trusty boat motor immersion blender to chop up the spinach leaves more.  The results were just fine.

Again, this is a very good smoothie.  I gulped it down instantly.

But of course . . . I was hungry!

I loved the addition of the mango to this smoothie!

I'd like to try pineapple as well.

Sunday, January 8, 2012

De~Tox Smoothies for Health!

I love clean living, whether it's inside my home, office, car, yard, and even my handbag.  So if I am going to keep everything uncluttered on the outside, I've got to remember to keep it all as clean as possible on the inside . . . of myself!  Over the holiday break from classes I had some time to watch TV and fell in love with all of the healthy advice provided by the Dr. Oz Show and web-site.  So much invaluable information on nutrition is shared from a variety of experts that helps us understand just how much each organ of our bodies is affected by what we put into them.  Dr. Oz has developed an especially effective de-tox and energizing green smoothie that's high in fiber, rich in vitamins, and low in calories.

I found several other green drinks/smoothies on Pinterest that have been given a nod for success that I'd like to try simply for variety.  I've put those together below, along with the correct citation of their origins for you.  Each of their creators say that they really have an increased level of energy to get through their busy days.  Other benefits discovered are better weight loss, improved digestive and immune systems, and more radiant skin, nails, and hair!  And who doesn't need and want those?

Each of these smoothie recipes are fast and easy to prepare.  All that is needed are the ingredients and a blender.  If you are fortunate enough to have a veggie blender, than of course you can use that.

Dr. Oz's Green Drink

2 apples, cored

2 big handfuls of spinach

1/2 cup of chopped parsley

1 celery stick, chopped

1 thumbnail length of ginger root, peeled

1 lemon - juice only (use peel slice for zest)

1 medium cucumber

Place ingredients in a blender, add 4 oz. spring water or a handful of ice cubes, then puree quickly for one minute. Makes two glasses of Dr. Oz’s green drink.

Green drink – Optional ingredients:

2nd cucumber

raw carrot

unsweetened fruit juice

banana

This green drink has a strong taste, so if you're used to sweet beverages, 

the taste will take some getting used to. Dr. Oz suggests adding other items

 at first to sweeten the green drink to your taste.

Anti-Aging Green Monster Drink 

from Dr. Andrew Weil

This green drink is loaded with protective phyto-nutrients, found in fruits and vegetables, known to help boost your body's defenses against cancer and chronic degenerative diseases. It can help correct diet deficiencies - and tastes good, too. A perfect way to get your family to drink to their health.

1 cup apple Juice

1/4 cup carrot Juice

1/4 cup cucumber Juice

3/4  cup kale Juice

1/4 cup organic plain yogurt

1 tsp olivello juice (optional)

1 cup ice

If you don't have a juicer at home, buy good quality organic juices from the market. 

If you do have your own juicer, start with organic produce; 

the fresher the produce, the more juice it will yield. 

You can juice the fruits and vegetables an hour ahead of time. 

You can also freeze the juice in ice cube trays.

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Add more or less ice to get the desired consistency and flavor.

Classic Green Monster

from Oh She Glows

1 cup almond milk, or milk of choice

1 ripe banana, preferably peeled + frozen

2 handfuls organic spinach

1 Tbsp. chia seeds or 1 Tbsp. ground flax

1 Tbsp. nut butter, optional

1-3 ice cubes

protein powder of choice, optional

Add in some powders too:

Navitas Maca powder

Vega Shake & Go

Amazing Grass Wheat Grass

De-Tox Smoothie

from Zoomy Yummy

1 1/4 cup pineapple juice

juice from 1/4 lemon

handful fresh spinach leaves

1/4 tsp. fresh grated ginger

Make Juice Not War Green Drink

from crazy sexy life

2 large cucumbers (peeled if not organic)

big fistful of kale

big fistful of sweet pea sprouts

4 – 5 stalks celery

1 – 2 big broccoli stems

1 pear or green apple (optional)

1 inch of ginger (or less)

Other optional greens: romaine, parsley, spinach and dandelion.

Green Smoothie for Weight Loss

from nutrition to Invigorate mind body and spirit

1-2 bananas

1/2 cup frozen peaches

1/2 cup frozen mango

a couple handfuls of spinach

water

ice (if desired)

Add enough water to blend 

Lisa's Green Monster
from Green Monster Movement

1 handful of ice
1 handful of frozen fruit (strawberries, papaya, mango, bananas, and pineapple)
 1 cup of almond milk
2 handfuls of spinach
1/2 c. to 3/4 c. of vanilla or plain yogurt
1 tbsp. of chia or flax seeds
1 tbsp. of honey
Simply place all ingredients in the blender

The Green Monster Movement blog has an incredible array of green drink recipes posted by readers!  Here's just one more green drink to try!

2 cups spinach

2 cups cucumber

1 head of celery

1/2 inch or teaspoon ginger root

1 bunch parsley

2 apples

Juice of 1 lime

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Combine all ingredients in a blender.

The Very Best Banana Pancakes

If you have some overly ripe bananas sitting there looking at you, this is a great thing to do with them! No syrup needed!

by Bad Girl Bbq

INGREDIENTS: 

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon white sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg, beaten

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 ripe bananas, mashed

1 banana sliced thinly

½ cup powdered sugar

COOKING MUSIC SELECTION: Jack Johnson- Banana Pancakes

PREPARATION:

Combine flour, white sugar, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together egg, milk, vegetable oil and bananas.   Stir flour mixture into banana mixture; batter will be slightly lumpy. 

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. While they are in the pan, place slices of banana on the uncooked side and then fip them over. Cook until pancakes are golden brown on both sides, spread butter over them while they are hot and sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve. BEST Pancakes EVER!!!!!!