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Cheddar Ale Soup

I've been craving this soup for several days now. I'm sure you're thinking, "Soup? Isn't this for those cold wintery nights?" Well, since spring is making such a slow transition around here, we still have those dreadful, cold nights once in awhile. Hence, this wonderful, creamy, cheesy soup.

Recipe borrowed from Williams-Sonoma

Ingredients:

• 4 thick-cut bacon slices, cut into 3-inch strips
• 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup pale ale
• 1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/4 lb. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• Toasted croutons for garnish
• *I didn't add the bacon for calorie purposes but my husband is anxious to taste with the bacon.

Preparation:

1. In Dutch Oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender. Add the garlic, cook for about 1 minute.

2. Add the flour, stirring occasionally for about 3-4 minutes. Add the pale ale, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce, milk, and chicken broth, increase heat to medium-high, bringing to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10-12 minutes.

3. Remove from heat and puree with a blender, until smooth. Return to pan.

4. Set over medium-low heat and add the cheese a handful at a time, stirring constantly (don't all the soup to boil).

5. Season with salt and pepper*. Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with croutons and bacon, if desired. Serve immediately. Serves 6.

*I didn't not feel the soup needed any additional seasoning. Be sure to taste before seasoning.

Beef Empanadas

I've been having a craving for empanadas lately, so I decided to do some research and figure out how to make them in a country without Mexican food. I know, it's hard to believe. This is what I came up with...so delicious.

Ingredients:

(Dough)

3 cups flour & some for kneading

1 tsp. salt

1/2 cup cold water

1 egg

1 egg white

1 tsp. white wine vinegar

3 T butter

(Filling)

1/2 lb. lean ground beef

1 pkg. taco seasoning

1/2 white onion, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup water, enough to cover the beef mixture

("Sour Cream" Dipping Sauce)

2 T reduced-calorie mayo

2 T reduced-calorie plain yogurt

Preparation:

1. In a bowl, mix the water, egg, egg white, and vinegar together. Set aside.

2. In another bowl, mix the flour and salt.

3. Cut the butter into the flour mixture. 

4. Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the liquid ingredients from the first bowl. Mix with a fork until it becomes stiff.

5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead it until all the flour is incorporated and the dough is smooth.

6. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, but not more than 24 hours.

To prepare the beef filling:

1. Sautee the onions and garlic over medium heat, until fragrant. Add the beef until browned. 

2. Remove the excess grease and return to medium heat.

3. Add the water and taco seasoning, following the instructions on the package.

4. Once boiled and simmered, let the filling cool before adding to the dough.

To fill the empanadas:

1. Turn the set dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Dust the rolling pin with flour and begin to roll the dough about 1/4 inch thick. Be sure not to roll it too thin, otherwise it might be hard to keep the filling inside and not bust out.

2. Use a cookie cutter or glass, about 3 inches in diameter, to cut out the circles.

3. Add however much filling you can or want and fold in half, crimping down the seam from one end to the other. 

4. For an added affect you can use the prongs of a fork to finish off the edges. I recommend dipping it in water before pressing, so the dough doesn't stick.

Cooking:

1. Cover the bottom of a frying pan with Canola oil and heat it up.

2. Once the oil is hot, add the empanada to the pan and fry on each side until golden brown.

New Cookbooks

It's been awhile since I've posted but, honestly, I've been feeling really uninspired. I want to cook something new but I've been through my cookbooks so many times I'm getting bored. So, I looked all over Amazon Japan today for some new cookbooks.

Homestyle Potato Soup

Pretty much if you live anywhere about the equator, you are cold and who doesn't like delicious, creamy soup when it's cold outside. So, I broke out an old recipe book (Cooking Light's Five Star Recipes) and made my version of their Homestyle Potato Soup.

Ingredients:

4 medium sized potatoes, cubed and baked

1 onion, diced

1 celery stalk, thinly sliced

3 tablespoons butter

Salt

Pepper

1 (14-oz) can vegetable broth*

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup flour

1 1/2 cups milk

Cheddar cheese, shredded

*I can't get vegetable broth, so I get one of the bags of nabe broth

Preparation:

1. Place first 8 ingredients into a slow cooker, stir well. Cover and cook until vegetables are tender, about 15-20 minutes on medium-high heat.

2. Place flour in a bowl, gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Stir into soup. Cook, uncovered, until thickened, for about 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently.

3. Ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle with cheese.

The recipes should yield about 7 servings (serving size: 1 cup soup and 1 tablespoon cheese). It's even just as good reheated the next day!

Nutrition (based on the book's recipe): 194 calories (35% from fat); Fat 7.6g; Protein 5.9g; Carb 26.8g

A Change...

So, me being me, I've changed my mind with this blog. I wasn't being realistic about my laziness when I tried to make the daily commitment to this blog.

With that being said, this blog will simply be a place for me to share/store recipes. This will allow me the freedom of only posting when I can/want to post and to post how many recipes at a time as I desire. Cause, let's be honest, we all eat leftovers or reuse recipes. I'm not making new food everyday for every meal, but if I do make something new and delicious, I'll be sure to share it will all of you!!

Take care and happy eating!

Over The Weekend: Day 4-5

My Saturday was pretty uneventful, seeing as I was left home alone all day while my husband worked. Therefore, I was left to fend for myself and basically ate leftovers all day. Nothing too exciting about that.

Sunday, I woke up early to go skiing with my friend, June, in a town, 1.5 hours away, only to get there and find out it was closed. So, we came back to Kitami (where I live) and went to one of the two local ski hills. It was super crowded but we managed to make it down the hill six times. Then we ended up running into a couple other foreigner friends at a restaurant called Cafe Blanc. It was really delicious. I had one of the daily specials, cream ramen (クーリムラメン). Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture before I devoured it. This is a picture of the aftermath.

It was a set meal, so it came with Tempura (panko fried) shrimp & eggplant, rice, pumpkin puree, and ice cream. Yum!

Day Two

Woke up nice and early to prepare for my first day back to work after my long, winter break.

I started my day with 100 grams of low-calorie plain yogurt. I decided to add about a teaspoon of strawberry jam and a small handful of granola from my cereal yesterday. Sorry no picture but, honestly, I forgot. I'm not much of a morning person. Anyway, then I headed off to work on foot, of course.

My morning Friday class has a regular tea time during our lesson, since it's an hour and a half. So, I had a cup of tea and a couple munchies. Nothing too exciting.

After class, I headed home for some lunch with the hubby. It was pretty cold out today, so I thought a nice soup would be good.

Lunch: Manhattan Crab Chowder

Ingredients:

1 package of artificial crab (you can use real crab if you have it)

2 cups potatoes, chopped

1 cup onion, diced

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 1/2 cup water

14 oz (396 g) broth (I can't find broth here, so I use the "broth" for nabemono)

Italian seasoning, to taste

Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

*Of course you can add additional vegetables, like tomatoes, carrots, celery, etc.

Preparation:

1. Start a pan of boiling water for the potatoes. Once boiling, add the potatoes and cut the other ingredients while the potatoes boil and become tender.

2. Once the vegetables are cut. In a large saucepan, add a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onions, garlic, and seasonings. Cook them until they almost brown and become aromatic. 

3. Add the water and broth to the large saucepan. Bring to a boil.

4. Strain the potatoes, then add to the large saucepan. Let simmer for about 4-5 minutes.

5. Add the crab. Let simmer for about another 4-5 minutes. Enjoy!

1 1/2 cups of this soup is about 210 calories. The leftovers heat up really well!

After lunch, I headed back work with my bag packed for the gym. Since I don't drive, I walk and take the city bus EVERYWHERE. So, after work, I took the bus out to the local gym for some good cardio. I did six kilometers on the treadmill, alternating walking 5 minutes then running 10 minutes. It's funny because outside, I typically run a 5K straight with no walking but I can't seem to do it on a treadmill. I think, mentally, I can't run in place for that long. It's boring!

I, then, took the bus back home to make dinner. My husband had to work, so it was only me tonight.

Dinner: Steak Sandwich with Blue Cheese Sauce & side salad

Ingredients:

Blue Cheese Sauce (from yesterday)

Lean beef strips (I used 5)

1 Portobello mushroom, sliced

Mixed greens

1 Whole Wheat Bun

Preparation:

1. Season the meat to your taste. I used only salt & pepper. Add 1/2 tablespoon of oil to a skillet and let it heat up.

2. Add the steak strips to the skillet and cook about 1-2 minutes on each side. Meanwhile, toaster the bun.

3. Smear a thin layer of the cheese sauce on the toaster bun. Add some mixed greens. Place the steak strips on the lettuce.

4. With the steak juice still in the pan, add the mushroom strips and grill for a couple minutes on each side. Once finished, add to the sandwich. Add a bit more cheese sauce to the top & Enjoy!

*I add a little side salad with the leftover mixed greens with a toasted sesame dressing.

In total, this meal, I think, is right around 500 calories. So, my total count for the day should be right around 1000 calories, leaving some room for dessert if I get the craving!

Day One

Today I woke up, weighed myself (which only try to do once a week) and discovered that I had lost my one pound holiday weight gain. Yay! Today was also my first day back to work. Luckily, I only had to go in for a couple hours and play with the kids.

Anyway, for breakfast I had cereal.

I bought it at Costco in Sapporo. It's high in fiber and made with whole grain oats. I had 1/2 cup of cereal and 1/2 cup of milk, which should be around 250 calories. I also had a banana (like most days).

I was able to share the morning with my husband so we did some laundry and hung-out. He, then, headed to work and I made lunch.

Lunch: Southwestern Panini (I got this recipe from EatingWell.com) with a few exceptions

Ingredients:

- 1 cucumber, shredded

- 2 medium carrots, shredded

- 1/2 cup cheese, shredded (In Hokkaido, we really only get one choice of cheese but I recommend cheddar if you can get it)

- half red onion, diced

- salsa, optional

- wheat bread

Preparation:
1. Shred your vegetables. Mix vegetables, cheese, onion, and salsa in a bowl.
2. Place a fourth of the mixture on a piece of bread and cover with a second piece of bread.
3. Heat 1 teaspoon of canola oil in a non-stick skillet. When hot place the prepared sandwich on the skillet, using a second pan to flatten the sandwich.
4. Once the down side is golden brown, flip the sandwich and, using the same technique, brown the other side.
5. When both sides are golden brown, Enjoy!

After you make this once, you'll realize how quick, simple, and delicious it is. I can usually get about 4-5 sandwiches out of the vegetable mixture. I just put any leftovers in a storage container and it will stay refrigerated for a few days.

I don't eat any side with it because one sandwich has about 331 calories and they're plenty filling.

After lunch, I had to go to work, so I walked to and from work. Now don't get too excited because it's only about a 10 minute walk (in the winter). It does, however, get me out of the house and allows me a bit of cardio.

Since my husband works tonight, I had to make dinner for myself only. I had read about this Blue Cheese Sauce on EatingWell.com and have been desperately wanting to try it so I decided to make a "healthified" version of Buffalo Wings. Which, if you know me, you know that I can't go too long without my Buffalo Wings and since they don't make those in Japan, I have to make my own.

Dinner: Buffalo Nuggets with a Blue Cheese Sauce

Ingredients:
(Nuggets)
1/2 cup buttermilk*
3 tablespoons vinegar
3 tablespoons hot sauce
1 chicken breast
6 tablespoons flour
6 tablespoons cornmeal
2 tablespoons canola oil
(Blue Cheese Sauce
1/3 cup plain, low-cal yogurt
1 oz. blue cheese, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Preparation:
1. Take any skin off the chicken breast. Cut the breast into cubes of similar sizes. Set aside.
2. Mix the buttermilk, 2 tablespoons of vinegar, 2 tablespoons of hot sauce in a large bowl. Place the chicken cubes in the mixture, making sure all the chicken is covered. Let it marinate in the fridge for no less than 10 minutes, mixing every so often.
3. While waiting on the chicken to marinate, go ahead and make the blue cheese sauce. It's really simple. Mix the yogurt, blue cheese, and vinegar in a small bowl. Set aside.
4. Next you can make an extra hot sauce for later. Mix the remaining hot sauce and vinegar together in a small bowl and set aside.
5. Prepare the flour mixture by mixing the flour and cornmeal in a shallow but wide bowl.
6. By this time, the chicken should be well marinated. If not, wait! If so, go ahead and take it out of the fridge.
7. Place the chicken nuggets in the flour mixture, coating them evenly and shaking off any excess. (Toss out the remaining marinade).
8. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Make sure the oil is nice and hot before adding the chicken. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken pieces one at a time, making sure to get a little oil under each piece. Cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side.
9. If you need to cook the chicken in two batches (I did) be sure to rinse the pan out between uses and add a new tablespoon of oil.
10. Arrange the nuggets on a plate. Drizzle with the hot sauce mixture and blue cheese sauce. Enjoy!

The calorie count for this meal should be right around 400 or so with the blue cheese sauce (if used sparingly).

Calorie count for the day: Right around 1200 calories, which is what I like!

Now I'm headed to the other room for a good 30 minute upper body workout! See you all tomorrow!

Getting Started...

I've recently been on a journey to get healthy and lose weight. I've started exercising regularly and keeping up a pretty good diet. So, I thought I would start a blog to share my journey with the ups and the downs. I hope to prove that anyone can lose weight, get healthy, and eat good food! 

I'm going to post everyday, explaining what I eat and what exercise I do. I think you'll soon realize that I don't spend three hours at the gym everyday and I don't eat some crazy diet! But I have lost over 20 lbs. in the last six months and only managed to gain one pound during the holidays, which I've already lost again. I just wanted to create a space to share my experience and, also, hold myself accountable.

So, here we go...