Recipe: Caesar Salad

I promised I’d post my recipe for Caesar Salad, so here it is… I came to this version after years of trial an error, starting with a recipe I got from Food Network – I don’t remember who it was by… but I tweaked it until I got it to where my husband and I liked it best. We prefer a more zingy flavored dressing over they creamy or mayonaisie versions you get at restaurants – my version is based off a more traditional method, though, and this serves 2 people as a meal, or 3 to 4 as a side. Also – I tend to just throw these things together and have never measured them, so these measurements are approximate – feel free to adjust as you need to.

Ingredients:
1 Whole Egg Yolk
1 Small Garlic Clove, pressed through garlic press, or finely minced
1-2 Tsp Anchovy Paste 
1 Tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
1-2 Tsp Mustard 
2-3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil 
1-2 Tbsp Grated Parmesan for dressing [I use the Pastene jarred stuff]
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and Fresh Cracked Black Pepper to Taste
1-2 Hearts of Romaine, chopped

Eating or Drinking Cold Foods or Beverages…

I read a whole book on this subject a while back and although I don’t remember hard evidence to suggest if eating or drinking cold things excessively will absolutely cause obesity, I thought it was worth looking into. The book I’m referring to is The Hot Diet: The Real Reason You’re Gaining Weight . . . and How to Lose It Fast and Forever (Hardcover) by AJ Djo. There were some interesting facts that were hard to ignore – which may or may not just be coincidence… the most interesting one to me being that we, in America [US and Canada] use ice in almost every cold beverage we drink, all day long. The rest of the world doesn’t and we happen to be the ‘fattest’ people on the planet. 

Supposedly, when you have an ice-cold drink with a meal, it can actually numb your stomach enough that it may delay the satiety signal, causing you to eat more than you would if you were drinking a room-temp or hot beverage. I remember hearing the story that that’s why restaurants always keep your ice water glass full – to get you to eat more. Then there’s the fact that if a meal isn’t hot, it comes out of the fridge, ice cold – salads, fruits, dairy, etc., but in most other countries they don’t refrigerate produce and they eat non-hot meals at room temperature instead of ice cold. 

I’m sure ice cold anything is a pretty big shock to the system and can cause your body to use extra calories to regulate itself – which you would think would make you thinner. But if you’re hungry, it’s because your brain needs fuel, and if the calories you’re taking in are going to balancing your body’s temperature, then your brain would theorhetically tell you to eat more and send out even stronger hunger signals, which could maybe lead to overeating…

Thoughts: 8.20.08

Yesterday was rough. I ended up falling into bed as soon as I got home and napping for a couple of hours, I was so tired… and I never nap… I ended up going to bed a little early, too and woke up feeling much better. My energy level is back up already, thank goodness! I did get on the scale this morning, and was kind of surprised it hadn’t really moved since the last time I got on, maybe 6 months ago. Optimistically-speaking, that means I haven’t gained weight – which is amazing because I’ve been basically eating anything I want for months now – until this Monday. So, it’s nice to know that when I do reach my ideal body shape, I can maintain it pretty easily using the routine I do now for exercise. 

I’ve also noticed that my body’s signals seem to be getting easier to recognize. Yesterday my thirst came back… and later in the day, my need for sleep did, too. It’s not like me to go home and immediately go to bed because I have to have sleep RIGHT NOW! lol… I also was able to walk away from the Olympics and get ready for bed at a more decent time than usual. I also noticed with both dinner last night and breakfast this morning, it seems much easier to tell when I’m pleasantly full. Normally I don’t get that signal and just keep eating until I physically feel stuffed, which is uncomfortable. I’m not sure if this is all in my head or not, or if there is a correlation between body signals and inflammation [due to the liver and colon being 'distracted' by too much junk to process???], or maybe excess insulin in the bloodstream, or both…

Either way, I’ll take it. It just makes my life – and this process of getting healthier – that much easier.

Recipe: Italian Egg Scramble

I’m always looking for quick and yummy ways to get protein in the mornings… I love eggs, but I can get bored with them, so I’m constantly trying new things. Not that this recipe is new or innovative, but more of a reminder that simple is sometimes just plain delicious – and fast! 

Ingredients:
1 egg
2 Tsp Milk [I use whole milk - you need the fat for this or else you'll get weepy, watery eggs]
1/4 Cup grape tomatoes, diced
1-2 Tbsp chopped fresh Italian [flat leaf] parsley
1-2 Tsp Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper to taste 

Method:
- Turn burner on to MEDIUM and heat up pan
- Add olive oil and toss in diced tomatoes – you can use any tomato, I just love grape tomatoes for their flavor and how easy it is to dice them up…
- In a small mixing bowl or cup, whisk up egg, milk, chopped parsley and salt & pepper
- Add egg mixture to tomatoes in pan, stir with rubber spatula until desired doneness

Note:
You can certainly add some cheese in this and it would be that much more delicious [mozzarella, parmesan, fontina, goat cheese... whatever you love!]. I didn’t have any on hand at the time, and it was delicious without, so I figured why add in the calories if I don’t have to. That doesn’t mean I won’t next time, though…   =) 

Enjoy!