Endless Possibilities Giveaway

February 8, 2010

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a great superbowl weekend :) Surprisingly, I actually watched the game (the first and last game of the season I’ll watch). Not too exciting since I was in Pittsburgh when they won the Heisman last year. I doubt Saints fans could ever beat out the die hard Steelers fans in terms of celebrations!

I started out this pizza & beer kinda weekend with pizza night on Friday. I actually have an exciting new pizza combo to show you! I didn’t want to bore you with my white ricotta pie again. This pizza took effort.

The toppings:

  • sliced onion
  • spinach
  • mozzarella
  • tomato sauce
  • mushrooms
  • olive oil
  • ricotta
  • parmesan

It was my best pie yet. And I finally figured out that you have to cook the spinach before putting in on the pie. I don’t know what I was  thinking before!

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you know I have pizza night with my Dad every Friday. We call our imaginary pizza place Skinny Frank’s since my Dad is so skinny and we make healthy whole wheat pizza. Before Christmas I ordered him a beer mug from Pottery Barn with Skinny Frank’s engraved on the front. It then went on backorder and just arrived this weekend.

It turned out to be HUGE.

He said he’ll save it for the bar in his new house. They’re planning on moving once I finally get a job and don’t have to live with them. He’s planning on building a nice bar and has been saving things for it for years now. He has everything from the bar stools to the Yankee Stadium picture to hang on the wall.

GIVEAWAY

Recently, the lovely Jason at Allbarstools.com contacted me about doing a giveaway. I love planning out my future home so all you have to do to enter is visit the site and tell me (in the comments section) what you would love to have someday in the future. Personally, I’m not a beer drinker but I’m loving the wine racks. I would choose this one if I have a big house:

And this one if I have a small one:

For extra entries link back to this giveaway on your blog or add me to your blog roll and then leave another comment letting me know you did.

So why haven’t I mentioned what you can win? I’m leaving it up to you! You have $35 to spend at any 3 of these sites:

  1. Allbarstools.com
  2. Cookware.com
  3. Bakeware.com

I know I wish I could get a donut pan to try my hand at Angela’s healthy donuts.

Or a hand blender to mix my soups without having to pour it in my food processor.

The possibilities are endless! Contest ends Tuesday, February 16 at 12 noon. It’s open to all U.S. and Canadian residents. Good luck!

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Posted in: Dinner, Food, Giveaway – 13 Comments

Parmesan Soup with Spinach & Orzo

February 5, 2010

Parmesan Soup with Spinach & Orzo

Adapted from Weight Watcher Magazine’s Herb Straciatelli with Orzo and Chard

1/4 cup whole wheat orzo

1 1/4 cup water

1/2 cup egg beaters

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Tbsp dried parsley

2 tsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp dried thyme

salt to taste

pepper to taste

1 bag baby spinach

4 cups veggie broth

  1. Cook Orzo according to package directions.
  2. In small bowl, stir 1/4 c. water, egg beaters, Parmesan, and parsley until blended.
  3. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in thyme, salt, and pepper. Add in spinach, cover and cook until it wilts.
  4. Stir in vegetable broth, remaining water, and orzo. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes. Slowly add egg mixture, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes.

I had it for lunch yesterday. The perfect cold weather solution! What’s your favorite soup?

Hope you all have a great weekend :)

Posted in: Food, Lunch, Recipe – 9 Comments

P is for Polenta

February 4, 2010

Good morning, afternoon, or evening, depending when you’re reading this :)

Thanks to the recent maple syrup purchase, pancakes were able to be made yesterday for breakfast. They’re never the same if I use anything but syrup. I used the new Quaker Oatmeal Pancake Mix. They came out really gritty and thick. After putting Smart Balance and maple syrup on top, they actually reminded me of Cream of Wheat. When I was little we always made it with butter, cream, and brown sugar. That combo makes me cringe nowadays!

I had a veggie sub from Subway for lunch. Boring. I still plan on going to Quiznos instead but this time someone brought it home for me so I couldn’t help myself.

For dinner I decided to pull out a cookbook. Old fashioned, I know. I made the Polenta Casserole from Eat, Drink, & Be Vegan. I unveganized it by using mozzarella and it turned out amazing.

I highly recommend this cookbook! My Mom started Weight Watchers and I’m trying to cook her tasty, healthy, and light meals and this one clocked in at only 6 points a serving (271 calories).

I can’t post the recipe but to give you an idea of it’s mostly made out of:

  • polenta
  • kidney beans
  • tomato sauce
  • mozzarella
  • lots of spice!

I’ll be making that again. I think even my boyfriend would like it. I’m extremely nervous that when we finally get engaged and move in together, I’ll have to cook separate meals for the two of us since he eats meat and I don’t. I think that this protein packed bean dish is good enough that you don’t notice it’s vegetarian! I need to collect a lot of meals like that.

On the agenda for today:

  1. Work out
  2. Walk Zoe (my brother’s puppy)
  3. Take Mark to the DMV
  4. Work

I can’t wait to spend time with this little girl!

P.S. I rewatched Lost yesterday and am now content with the premiere. I think the hour of commercials kinda killed it for me Tuesday night. From now on I’m always watching it sans commercials!

Have a great day :)

Question: Does your significant other eat the same healthy foods that you do? If you’re single, what’s a food from your childhood that you prepare totally different now?

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Posted in: Breakfast, Dinner, Food – 11 Comments
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