Summer Steak and Mash

The best thing to eat on a warm summer evening has to be a massive slab of meat! And you know what! You can eat red meat!!! It won’t kill you! (unless you’re veggy, then you may want to turn away) Grilling a steak is one of those traditional American past times that truly makes memorable summer nights. Sometimes, though, you live in an apartment and grills aren’t allowed, and you have to improvise. Cooking a steak on the stove top is just as productive and makes a pretty darn good steak!

And what is a steak without potatoes? But that’s starch… starch is bad…. We can’t eat starch!!! Yes, I agree! Stay away from starch! But how can you have the American standard of steak and potatoes? Cauliflower!!! It makes an amazing substitute for mashed potatoes and you won’t feel like you are turning your back on your country as you eat them!

*You will need a food processor or blender for this side dish* Starting you want to take your head of cauliflower and cut it up into florets. Make it look like broccoli that just saw a ghost and lost all its color. Once you have all your florets cut away from the core, begin boiling some water on the stove. DON’T PUT YOUR CAULIFLOWER IN THE WATER!!! Boiling veggies removes nearly all nutrients and you might was well eat a starch because you aren’t getting any benefits from boiled veggies. Instead, steam your veggies! Now I don’t have a steamer, because I don’t know why…. But I do have a steel colander! I placed that on top of the boiling water and put my cauliflower in the colander. Make sure the water stays in the pot and doesn’t come into the colander. Cover the colander and let the florets steam for 7-10 minutes. While they are steaming go ahead and grab 2 cloves of garlic, mince it up and throw it in your food processor. Also toss in about 2 tablespoons of fat free cream cheese, a little coconut oil, like a tablespoon at most, and salt and pepper to taste. Once the florets are steamed, toss those into the food processor and close the lid. Turn up to the fastest setting and let it blend until it is very fine. You will start to see it look like mashed potatoes and then its ready! Taste it to see if you need to add more garlic or salt or anything. Set aside and grab the steak!

Let your steak come to almost room temperature before you start cooking. The reason is that meat has tendons in it made of elastin. If elastin is cooked when it’s cold, it will turn into a rubber band material and impossible to eat and will not transfer flavor into the meat. However, if you let it reach room temperature, it will be very tender and flavorful! Best way to do this is let it sit on the counter while you are preparing the cauliflower. Seasoning the steak is very simple! Salt and pepper. That is all you need. Season both sides of the steak and gently massage it in. Heat up a skillet or griddle to high heat. Once it is hot, toss on the steak. You want to get a good quick seer on the outside of the steak. Let it cook on the first side for 3-5 minutes and then flip it over. Let it cook on that side for only 2-3 minutes, just until the sides of the meat are brown. Take from the pan and let it rest for a minimum of 5 minutes before you even think of cutting it.

I also prepared some zucchini and yellow squash to go along with the two stars, but any veggie is good for this! Recipe with my favorite veggie is here!

Serving size of the cauliflower can really be anything you want it to be cause it’s a veggie! But I usually do about half a cup per person.

This is a simple meal that makes any summer night one to remember!

Have fun impressing your friends with this mind-blowing healthy cookout meal!

What you need:

1 head of cauliflower, medium to large

2 cloves of garlic

Small amount of Fat-Free Cream Cheese

Coconut Oil

Steak

Salt & Pepper

Seasonal Veggies (Optional)

- NoPro

Power Brunch to Jump-start the Weekend

So you've been doing great with your eating. Everything has been clean, healthy, and delicious. But, now its the weekend and your friends are coming over for brunch! How on earth can you fix a delicious brunch and still keep it clean and healthy!?! Brunch is all butter and bread and calories! No fear, we've got you covered!

Avocado, eggs, and quinoa are all considered power foods! Avocados have monounsaturated fatty acids, or MUFA's. These are extremely heart healthy and, as a plus, help burn belly fat! They are also relatively low in calories and high in fiber. This means you can eat a larger portion, and they keep you feeling full longer. Eggs are proven to aid in proper dietary decisions. Studies have shown that people that start the day with an egg eat fewer calories throughout the day. Also, the yolks contain nutrients, like vitamin D and choline, that promote heart, liver, and brain health. Finally, quinoa is rich in antioxidants and flavonoids. This can reduce cell damage, increase vascular circulation, and protection for the nervous system. These foods are all great options for a tasty brunch and can jump-start your weekend of clean eating!

When buying quinoa, you want to look for organic and sprouted. The color is not important, I am using red because my amazing neighbor gave me over a pound of it because she decided her 5 pound bag was too large and she couldn't possibly consume it all. Quinoa cooks a lot like rice and grits, a 1 to 2 ratio between quinoa and water is best. So, 1 cup of uncooked quinoa gets 2 cups of water. Place the quinoa in a pot with the water and bring to a boil. As soon as you reach a boil, lower the temperature to allow the quinoa to simmer. Cover the pot and let it simmer for 10 minutes. After ten minutes, turn off the heat, fluff the quinoa with a fork, and let it sit covered for 5 minutes more on the stove.

With this quinoa, we are going to make "hash browns". Mix in a bowl 1 cup of cooked quinoa, 1 large egg, 1/2 a cup of bread crumbs, salt and pepper to taste. Heat a large skillet with about 2 tablespoons of coconut oil melted in it. Once the oil is melted, portion out your quinoa mixture onto the skillet. Flatten them into patties with the back of the spatula and cook on both sides until it starts to brown, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Once they are browned, transfer them a plate with a paper towel to soak up the excess oil.

Now for the avocado, make sure you have enough for 1 half an avocado for each person. To see if an avocado is ripe, gently squeeze it. You want a slight give, but not mush. Another way is to remove the stem cap at the top, if its green leave it be but if its light brown you're good to go, if its a dark brown, or black, its over ripened and you don't want it.... trust me..... blegh!

Turn on your ovens broiler on low and start slicing the avocado from the top and slice down the middle, wrapping around the pit. hold the avocado in both hands and lightly twist to separate the two halves. Take your knife and slam it into the pit, twist carefully to remove the pit. Place the halves, inside up in a baking dish just large enough to hold all of them. Top the avocados with a single slice of prosciutto, with a hole matching the divot from the pit in the avocado. Crack the egg and get the yolk right in that hole. Place the avocados under the broiler for about 7-10 minutes. You want the prosciutto to start to curl and the whites of the egg to turn, well, white. You will also start to see the exposed parts of the avocado to start to toast and turn brown. Once this all happens, they are ready!

When you pull them out of the oven, lightly salt and pepper them and if you like an extra kick, drizzle them with some Sriracha! Place the "hash brown" and an avocado half on a plate and serve with a Bloody Mary or mimosa!

Enjoy your brunch and know that you have just thrown yourself into a weekend full of healthy eats!

What you need:

• Quinoa
• Avocado
• Prosciutto
• Eggs
• Coconut oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Sriracha (optional)

Cuban Sandwich and the Start to a Great New Relationship

A new relationship is forming between the US and Cuba, and I couldn’t be more excited! This is a culture that is vibrant and passionate. They love their food and they love each other, and I think we, as Americans, could learn a thing or two from them! One of my favorite Cuban inspired foods is the Cuban sandwich! It is full of flavor and you can taste the love in every bite, if it’s made right.

A Cubano is a hot pressed sandwich consisting of ham, pulled pork, pickles, Swiss cheese, and Dijon mustard. It brings influence not only from Cuba, but also Italy and Spain. This sandwich is often baked, but to be authentic, it must be pressed on a panini press. Since I’m a “NoPro” I will be using my George Foreman grill as a panini press.

Now, I’m not going to lie and say that this is a simple sandwich that you can make really quick before work. It takes time and attention to detail to make it truly great. On average, it takes me anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half to make the sandwich, but it is more than worth it!!! In my exploration of a healthier lifestyle, this is one dish that I intend to carry over. So, with health in mind, I edited the traditional recipe slightly with much success!

The biggest change to help this sandwich go from fat saturated heaven to simply heaven is replacing the butter and heavy oils with a healthier choice. I decided to try coconut oil and was pleasantly surprised! I used coconut oil in everything from the marinade for the meat, to the wash on top, and even for the fries on the side!

Another healthy substitute is using shredded turkey instead of pork. Traditional Cuban sandwiches use ham and pulled pork, both fatty meats. Turkey is a lean meat that can absorb the flavor of the marinade just as well as the pulled pork.

Also, in the Cuban vinaigrette I use coconut oil rather than a heavy olive oil. To make the vinaigrette, mix together ½ a cup of white vinegar, 1.5 cups of coconut oil (liquid), 2 tablespoons of sea salt, 4 cloves of finely minced, or pressed, garlic, ½ a teaspoon of dried mustard, 1 teaspoon of dried oregano, and crushed black pepper to taste. The easiest way to mix this together is to put all the ingredients in a container that can tightly seal and then shake vigorously. This can be prepared ahead of time and actually makes a great salad dressing as well!

Once the vinaigrette is well mixed, add about 2-3 tablespoons to a ½ pound of shredded turkey. Toss the meat to ensure even coverage and let the meat sit for at least an hour. Once your meat is soaking up all the amazing flavor, go ahead and turn on your pressing device. You want to make sure this has a good chance to get very hot!

While the meat is soaking and the press is heating, you can start preparing to build the sandwich. Now, the only substitute I refuse to make is with the bread. The foundation of the sandwich is the light Cuban bread. This bread may not be the healthiest option, due to lard being included in the ingredient list, but for a Cuban sandwich, I feel that it is irreplaceable. If you must change it out, you can use a whole grain baguette style bread or even an unleavened pita style of bread.

With one loaf of Cuban bread, I usually get three to four sandwiches out of it. Its built, however, as one large sandwich. Starting with the loaf, sliced down the middle, put a thin layer of mayonnaise on the bottom piece. I know what you’re thinking, “mayonnaise is not healthy at all!” but I made my own, and when you control the ingredients, you can make anything healthy. My mayonnaise recipe will be posted at a later date.

On top of the mayonnaise, place an overlapping layer of Swiss cheese, lay one slice and lay the next slice starting in the middle of the previous slice, about 4-5 slices. The next layer is the ham. I do replace the traditional ham with a low-fat ham, because all the extra fat just isn’t needed. Place a single layer of ham over the cheese. Once your turkey has finished soaking up all the flavor, place that on top of the ham down the middle of the sandwich. The next layer is the pickle. It is very important to use a dill pickle here to ensure the proper taste combination. You want the pickles to almost completely cover the turkey. Atop the pickle layer, the final layer is a drizzle of Dijon mustard. The amount of mustard is purely based on taste. If you like mustard, load it on, or you can go lighter.

Once the mustard is on, top the sandwich off with the top of the loaf. At this point, you can cut the sandwich into smaller sandwiches, 3-4 from a standard Cuban loaf. For grilling a Cuban, you are supposed to put a generous layer of butter on the top of the bread to give it a golden, crispy crust. Butter isn’t that great for you though, in case you hadn’t heard. Coconut oil, however, is a great substitute! Brush liquid coconut oil on the top of the bread and prepare to press.

At this point, your press, or George Forman grill, should have been heating, closed, for about 30 minutes, if not just wait and get it very hot. Once the press is super-hot, place the sandwich on and press down to “flatten” the sandwich. The sandwich will not actually flatten due to the shear amount of stuff in it, but you want to pretend that’s what you are doing to it. Let the sandwich cook on the press for about 7-10 minutes, or just until the cheese starts to ooze out. It is imperative not to lift the press while the sandwich is cooking, you want an even crisp crust and constant heat is needed. Once the sandwich is done simply slide it off the press and serve on a plate, in a basket, or wrapped in deli paper. Make sure the sandwich is served hot!

I made a healthy French fry side dish to go with my sandwich, and that recipe will be coming soon! It truly is amazing what you can do with coconut oil!!!

If this is your first experience with Cuban culture, I truly hope that you will do some research into the benefits of a Cuban-American alliance and urge your federal representatives to pursue a healthy diplomatic relationship with our neighbors in the Caribbean!

What you’ll need:

Sandwich:

1-pound low fat ham, deli sliced

1-pound turkey, deli sliced or pulled (marinated in Cuban vinaigrette)

1 loaf of Cuban bread

1 jar of dill pickles, sandwich stacker slices

4-5 slices of Swiss cheese

Dijon mustard

Homemade mayonnaise

4-5 tablespoons of coconut oil (liquid)

Cuban vinaigrette marinade:

1.5 cups of coconut oil (liquid)

½ cup of white vinegar

4 garlic cloves

Sea salt

Black pepper

Dried mustard

Dried oregano

Serving of 3-4 takes about 1-1.5 hours and about $40

-NoPro

Mama's Legacy

Happy mothers day! Today is a special day because I am sharing a guest post from my mother. My mom is the reason why I am who I am today. She always inspired me to be strong and independent, to love myself and my neighbor, and to enjoy life one bite at a time! If it wasn't for her putting me up to the stove by the time I was five, I would have none of the culinary skills I have today. If there is one person that has inspired my life the most, it is her. 

She was inspired by the women in her family before her and I can only imagine how far back the love of cooking goes. I can remember as a kid, being in my Great Grandma's house with her cooking something, always. Unless she was spanking me for pushing her life alert button.... but that's besides the point. For snippets of inspiration from her, you can follow her on Twitter here! Please enjoy her post below, it features the one dessert I ask for the most!

So, I’m Barb, Caleb’s mom.  I guess I have to take credit for Caleb’s love of food and love of cooking.  When my kids were younger, back in the 90’s, we weren’t so concerned with “healthy” foods.  Most things were processed, it was fast, it was convenient.  So unfortunately, that’s what my kids grew up on.  So I guess all that to say, if Caleb asks me to guest blog one of his favorites that mom makes, it’s not gonna be healthy!! (Please note, I am a clean, healthy cook now!)

So back around 1989, we moved to Lawrence, KS.  Caleb was but a twinkle in my eye – or possibly a flutter in my belly at that time.  We attended a small church at the time – you know the kind, great pot luck meals for 50 people with enough food to feed 300!! But, that is when I had my first taste of the most incredible banana pudding!! I couldn’t get enough of it! But, one problem…..I didn’t know all the ingredients.  But, with a little begging and pleading, I convinced my friend to give it up, and my pallet (and waistline) haven’t been the same since!  So here it comes…..it’s not your everyday banana pudding……there is a secret ingredient…..shhhhh…..

Ready for it??? Sweetened condensed milk!  Oh the joy!  Oh the creaminess! Oh the sweetness! I tell ya, it’s the deal breaker. It’s the reason from now through the end of your life people will be asking YOU to bring that banana pudding to the potluck.  And when you don’t….oh, they’ll let you know about it!  Trust me!


So here it is! The complete recipe that will forever change your life…..

Ingredients:

1 large box vanilla pudding (don’t skimp…get the name brand people!)

Milk

1 large size tub of Cool Whip (again don’t skimp! And don’t get fat free!!!)

3 or 4 large bananas

Nilla wafers (come on people, do I have to say it again?? Don’t skimp!!)

I like to construct mine in a trifle dish – it’s just so pretty.  But if you don’t have one just about any dish will do, just so it’s at least 4 inches deep.

1. Mix up the vanilla pudding and milk as directed on the package
2. Remove 2 cups of the Cool Whip – set aside
3. Mix in the remaining cool whip to the pudding
4. Crush up enough Nilla wafers to cover the bottom of the dish
5. Cut up 1 or 2 bananas on top of the wafers (all depends on how bananaey you like it)
6. Pour ½ of the pudding mixture over the bananas
7. Repeat steps 4-6 creating a nice layering presentation
8. Spread the remaining Cool Whip on top of the layers
9. Now make it pretty – I like to put the wafers all around the outside, standing up. Then make your own creation in the middle
10. Let it set up in the fridge for at least 2 hours

Prepare for taste bud explosion!!!

Fish That Caught on Fire and Covered in Mango

No, you're not actually going to catch a fish on fire here.... but, it is going to be fire!

This is pretty simple. Perfect for a busy weeknight or relaxing weekend evening. Also, I made two servings for less than $20, and that included the large bottle of wine!

Starting with the main deal, the fish. For this you are gonna want to use a white fish, haddock or cod are great, tilapia is OK as long as it comes from the USA, I used tilapia for this recipe.... Check out this article here to see my reservations on this fish... These white fish are best for those that don't like the "fishy" taste, or when you are adding bold flavors. We are doing the latter here because I love the fishy flavor!

First things first, prep work! Preheat the oven to 425°. The fish can be sticky when you put it in a baking dish, so make sure to oil the pan liberally! I tend to think of an infant in a bathtub, enough to get the job done but you don't want anything to drown in there! When the fish is in the baking dish sprinkle some Chili Powder over the top and grind some fresh black pepper. Set the fish aside for now and let the Chili Powder soak in a little. While that's chilling out, lets chop some stuff up! Yellow squash, zucchini squash, and butter nut squash are a great mixture for any season! The butter nut squash cooks best when cubed, you can buy it pre-cubed in most supermarkets, while the zucchini and yellow squash should be cut in discs, this allows them to absorb some awesome flavor while maintaining their fresh crunch. Set the veggies aside, just like the fish.

Next we want to get that salsa ready! Store bought mango salsa is really the best option. For one, I hate even thinking about peeling a mango, and buying all the ingredients isn't economical for the amount we'll be using. However, store bought salsas are always way too watery to be added to a dish like this. We want a thicker, chunkier, salsa. So to get rid of the water we are going to put the salsa in a small sauce pot and heat it on the stove over medium-high heat until we see it begin to boil. Bring the heat down to allow the salsa to simmer, leaving it uncovered to allow the water to evaporate off. This will take about 15-20 minutes with occasional stirring.

Once the salsa is on the stove, your oven should be completely pre-heated. Go ahead and put the fish in on the middle rack and KEEP THE DOOR CLOSED! You're gonna leave the fish alone and not even think of it for 15 minutes.

While the fish is baking and the salsa is boiling go ahead and start on your veggies! Bring a skillet to a high heat and drizzle some EVOO all over. (just in the skillet though, could get messy outside of it) Toss in your veggies and season with some season salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Keep them moving for the first five minutes to be sure to get them well coated with the seasoning and oil. You don't want the seasoning to be on only 5 or so pieces, tossing it around in the skillet can help share the goodness! After its all mixed up and cooking well, let it simmer to seal in the flavor. At this point, you may need to turn the temp down on that salsa to keep it at a simmer as well.

Now we have a little intermission time while the food does its thing! Grab a glass of wine, switch to the next Beyonce track, or yell at the kids to keep doing their homework.

And now we're back! So it's been 15 minutes since we closed that door that I trust you didn't open? Now you can open it. Pull out the fish. It should be completely white with some golden edges. Let it rest again while we get everything else ready.

The veggies should be cooked, yellow squash and zucchini should be firm while the butter nut squash is almost mashable. Turn off all the heating elements and prepare for plating.

The fish is VERY fragile! Use a flexible spatula to get as far under the middle of the fish as possible and hold it at a slight angle to drain off as much liquid as possible, should just be a slow drip. Place the fish on a plate of your choosing and top it with about two tablespoons of the salsa, should just cover the length of the middle of the piece of fish. Scoop some veggies next to the fish, using a slotted spoon to drain as much liquid here as well, and done! Serve, eat, and enjoy! You may need a second glass of wine at this point too :)

What you'll need:

• Mild White Fish (tilapia, haddock, cod)
• Mango Salsa
• Zucchini Squash
• Yellow Squash
• Butternut Squash (pre-cubed is great!)
• EVOO
• Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
• Chili Powder
• Season Salt

Total Prep time is 20-30 Minutes

The day I didn't wear my bra....

Hi. It's been a while. It's actually been 971 days, or, 2 years 7 months and 27 days, since my last time posting on this blog. Whoops....

I miss it. I miss you, the reader. I miss creating new recipes and having a passion for cooking.

A lot has happened in the last, almost, three years! When I last saw you, I had recently moved to Columbia, SC. Well, now I live in Hilton Head Island! (or is it on HHI?) I have also changed a lot as a person... I went from being just over 300 to almost hitting 400 pounds! Yeah, I know!

Here is a typical picture of me >
I am seen in a bar, with my amazing roommate, with a drink in my hand and the ever growing waist line. This was Christmas 2015, aka me at my largest!
                                                                           
But! As I turn over new leaves in career, friendships, and local of where I'm living; I am now turning over a new leaf in my diet... literally! Out with the fried and in with the green! Now, I am sure you have seen blog after blog of people that "eat clean" and are perfect and look perfect and poop perfect and probably never even think about farting .... I'm NOT that person!

I LOVE MEAT!!! Pork, beef, chicken, gator.... you name it, I love it! My body however, does not. So I am back. I'm here to show you just how easy eating healthy can be! As well as just how hard it can be.

I am not perfect. I do not see butter and salt as a sin. Sometimes I add fat to a dish because it just tastes good! I have lost over 40 pounds in the last three months however and plan to lose a lot more!

<---- This is me now! Much better but still some more work to do!

The victory I am celebrating today is that I went out in public without my "bra" today. For years I have been wearing tank-tops under all my shirts to attempt to hold back my "moobs". Today I felt like it wasn't needed! This isn't saying I'll never wear them again, but I'm getting to a point where I don't feel like I have to!

So welcome, again, to my journey. I plan to clean up my eating while I clean up my life! This is a hard step for me to take and I can't take it alone. You may have not signed up for this ride but now you have to take it! It's really a fun ride! All you have to do is support me and compliment me on how well I'm doing! (I'm a millennial so I need constant reassurance of how well I'm doing, duh!)


 - NoPro

Leftover Madness turned Lunchtime Delicacy

So you are sitting in your house after just finishing your morning chores, you're tired and hungry and don't want to have to make a big deal for lunch. You could always make a cold cut sandwich, again, but thats so boring and lackluster. It's time to mix it up and have a delicious lunch that is super easy to make, and the best way to do that is to look at the other meals you didn't finish in the fridge.

I had sliced tomatoes sitting in a plastic container from a BLT made over the weekend, some extra Farfalle noodles from my moms Mac N' Cheese, and a few extra chicken breasts from the previous week. As I stood there, I thought, how can I use these seemingly unrelated items and make a meal out of them? Then it hit me, a fall pasta with grilled chicken! A simple, light, meal that won't take more than thirty minutes to prepare and will fill me up until dinner time.

To start, preheat the grill to 300-350 degrees. If your chicken breast has the rib meat attached, go ahead and pull that off. You now have chicken tenders for another meal later in the week! Now, drizzle the chicken in EVOO and sprinkle about a tablespoon of basil and a teaspoon of garlic powder over the top. Allow the meat to sit while the grill preheats to allow the oil to begin to penetrate the breast. Once your grill heats to 300 degrees, place the chicken on the grill, basil side up. with the grill on its Medium-Low setting, allow the chicken to cook on that first side for fifteen minutes. It is important to allow most of the cooking to be done on that first side to allow the basil and garlic flavor to infuse with the meat. After fifteen minutes, gently flip the breast over and allow for ten more minutes of cooking time. After the ten minutes, flip the breast one more time, and gently press down with your spatula. If the juice is flowing clear at this time, remove the chicken from the grill and allow it to rest for about 2 minutes.

While the chicken is cooking, there is a lot to get done! At this point you will want to get your Magic Bullet System out, or a basic food processor will work. Put your sliced tomato in along with about a quarter cup of
EVOO, two tablespoons of butter, a teaspoon of garlic salt, and a dash of basil. Blend this all together until you achieve a smooth consistency. Pour the sauce into a medium sized wok, add a quarter cup of water to help thin the sauce a bit, and heat over medium heat until the sauce begins to simmer. Stir the sauce often to keep a "skin" from forming on the top. Once the sauce is heated through, add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste and stir together. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and begin to stir in to coat the pasta thoroughly. Once the pasta is totally coated in the sauce, cover and turn the heat down to low to allow it to simmer, stirring occasionally. The pasta will heat and cook until the chicken is done.

Once the chicken is done place a small "lunch sized" portion of pasta on the plate along with the grilled chicken breast. Since this is lunch, you don't have to worry about serving anything else with this meal; however, if you decide to make this for dinner, serve with a side salad with a light vinaigrette dressing and a chilled glass of Chardonnay.

What you need

1 Sliced tomato

EVOO [Extra Virgin Olive Oil]

Basil

Garlic Powder

Butter

Cooked Pasta [Spaghetti style noodles not recommended]

Chicken

Salt and Pepper

Dining on Flipper!

Well, not really. Dolphin yes, but not the friendly mammalian type that we adore so much and swim with and chirp with and all that amazing fru-fru jazzy stuff. Mahi Mahi, a more acceptable thing to say other than dolphin. It's a hearty white fish that is very versatile in flavor. You can steam it, bake it, grill it, or fry it. The easiest of which being baking or grilling. I have found the best flavor combination is citrus basil. It keeps the light flavor of the fish available while subtly adding notes to it that bounce all around your pallet.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and grab some aluminum foil. Lay out a large enough piece of aluminum foil to hold the entire piece of fish. Sprinkle the juice of half a lemon over the fish and sprinkle about half a tablespoon of basil over that. Take a clove of garlic and peel off the skin. Place four portions of the garlic around the fish and wrap the foil up over it all. Place the foil packets in a baking dish and place in the oven.

The fish will take about 20-30 minutes to cook. While the fish cooks, you can prepare your sides. I ended up cheating today and using some microwave in the bag rice and green beans. They are good, simple, and easy to make. That way you can focus more on a glass of wine or ice cold beer and the people you have invited over.

When the fish has completed cooking, it will be slightly flaky, yet still firm. Cut the Mahi Mahi pieces into smaller steak sizes and serve over rice with the beans on the side. This fish goes best with a crisp white wine like a Chardonnay. With the time you saved on making the sides, you can think of an amazing desert to make for afterwards!

What you need

Mahi Mahi

Rice

Green beans

Lemons, or juice of, half for each piece of fish

Garlic

Basil

The Best Plan of Attack is a Flank Steak

Are you in the mood for a steak but don't want to pay a bunch at a steak house and have your steak come out over cooked, over seasoned, and under flavorful? Well this recipe is for you! Flank steak is a super easy option for families that want a nice meal that is relatively cheap. Paired with a simple vegetable and optional bread the flank steak makes a great well rounded meal for about 5 dollars per person.

The flank steak is super easy to cook! Start your grill and bring the temperature up to between 350-375. While the grill is heating season the steak with McCormicks Montreal Steak Seasoning liberally on both sides. Place the steak on the grill and let it cook with the lid closed for five minutes on the first side. [NoProTip: Don't flip the steak more than once, allow most cooking to be done on the first side. This helps the steak hold on to vital juices!] After five minutes, flip the steak and allow it to cook for about two to three more minutes. [This will bring the steak to a Medium Rare state, which is how I like it, if you like your meat to be medium cook for five minutes after flipping, medium well six minutes pre-flip and five minutes after the flip and well done, well just go back to the store and get beef jerky cause that should be illegal] Once the meat has finished cooking, set aside for a minimum of five minutes to allow the juices to settle in the meat and the fibrous tissues to loosen up.

Before preparing your meat, you will want to start on the side dish that accompanies it. A dish that I just learned of, thanks to Pinterest, is a Brussels Sprouts, Sweet Potato and Bacon mixture. I'm not going to lie, before I made this I was pretty skeptical about it, but I will be cooking this again! Pre-heat your oven to 400 first of all, then start out by chopping two large sweet potatoes into chunks, you can decide the size of each chunk, and cutting the sprouts in half. Liberally coat a baking sheet with EVOO and set aside. With your sprouts and potatoes cut up, place them in a large bowl and drizzle EVOO over the top. Sprinkle some thyme, roughly a tablespoon, and some salt and pepper to taste over that. Mix that thoroughly with your hands, extra virgin olive oil is the best moisturizer you will ever find, and scatter evenly on to the baking sheet. Bake the mixture for 20-25 minutes, until you can easily put a fork through the potato pieces. While that is baking, fry up about five pieces of bacon to a crispy level and set aside on a paper-towel to cool. Once the vegetables are done, place them in the serving bowl and crumble the bacon over top. Mix it all together again prior to serving.

After the steak has rested, and you can not skip that part, slice it into small strips on about a 45 degree angle. Serve on the plate with the steak presented to show the inside of the meat, allowing the diner to admire the deep reds and see the juices, juxtaposed to the greens and yellows of the vegetables. If you decided to add a bread portion, that is best served in a basket on the table so that each diner may grab as they please. Serve this with meal with a Merlot or Chianti, these wines will bring out the bold flavor of the steak and assist in tasting the smokey notes of the seasoning!

What you need

Flank Steak [NoProTip: Flank Steak will shrink quite a bit during cooking]

McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning

2 Sweet Potatoes

16 oz bag of Brussels Sprouts

Bacon

Rosemary

EVOO

Salt and Pepper

Review of the "Magic Bullet" System

Whoa! I can not begin to say how impressed I am with this product! I have had my Magic Bullet for four years now and it was well worth the money spent! I have made many things from soups to sauce, milkshakes to smoothies, and even butters and juices!

The product comes with the base, which houses the electrical motors that turn the blade, cups of differing sizes to place the ingredients into, colored rims that you can screw on the tops to protect your mouth from the screw ridges and to help label which cup is yours, and two blades! The two different blades is what really makes this product great. With a regular blender, you only get one blade choice. Now you may have different buttons as to how fast or slow the blade spins, but you only have one option! With the Magic Bullet you can change out the blades to fit your needs of the product! You can perfectly shred cheese or smoothly blend anything with just a few taps on the top.

If you are looking to buy a blender I highly recommend the Magic Bullet system! It is compact compared to other blenders and easily stores in your cabinets! Also, all the parts are dishwasher safe and super easy to clean!

This is a product that every NoProKitchen should have! I'm NoProChef but you can definitely take my word for it!

Check it out HERE!

"Slap Yo Mama Good" Pork Loin

Pork Loin. The most versatile pork meats. You can smoke it, grill it, bake it, fry it. However you want to cook it you can. I like to bake it at low temperatures for a good amount of time to allow all the flavors to seep into the meat and fill each bite with wonders! Well, I guess more like garlic and Italian herbs. Yep, you guessed it! The "Holy Trinity" gets used again in this recipe, which, I mean really, why wouldn't you?

To start off set your oven to preheat to 350. While its heating up grab your loin, the pork loin that is, and season it up. [NoProTip: Season the side of the loin that doesn't have the wall of fat on it, the flavors will absorb more easily!] First drizzle some EVOO over the top, then I like to put the "Holy Trinity" [basil, oregano, thyme] and a little garlic salt on it. I use about a tablespoon of each. After you have seasoned it up, let your loin have a spa day! Give it a good massage, making sure those seasonings really get in to the meat, try working out all those tension knots the butchers put in there when they cut off the slab of meat! After it has been relaxed by a nice massage, its time to rest in the sauna, a.k.a. the oven. The pork really needs to relax so it's going to sit in there for at least an hour, maybe even an hour and a half. The best way to check if the pork is cooked is to simply cut all the way through the middle and take a peak. [Don't worry about the look of the pork because you are going to be slicing it when its done] If you feel the pork isn't quite done, still a little slimy pink in the middle, cook longer at ten minute intervals until the internal temperature is 145 degrees.

While the pork is resting in the sauna, you can prepare your sides! The pork is a great source of protein so you'll want to round off the meal with a yummy, yet semi healthy, starch and a vegetable. I like broccoli and sweet potato fries! I have to admit, Ore Ida has the best sweet potato fries I've had outside of a restaurant! All they need is a dash of salt over the top and they are perfect! The bag says to cook them at 400 for about 20 minutes, but that temp would cook the outside of your pork too fast and dry it out, so we don't want to cook them at that temp. Leave the oven at 350 but cook the fries for 30 minutes. This way all your parts of the dish will be perfectly cooked and done at relatively the same time.

For the broccoli, all you have to do is boil some water. If you are using fresh broccoli, good for you! That means you have bought it recently and planned out your meals and now exactly what your going to cook and when you're going to cook it! However, if you live in the real world with an ever changing life schedule that is pretty unpredictable, frozen broccoli works just as good! Once the water is boiling, place the broccoli in the water for five to ten minutes or until the outside of the broccoli begins to feel tender to a forks prodding. Drain the water and place off to the side until the rest of the items are done. Don't cook the broccoli too early though, you don't want it to turn cold.

Once the pork is done, place it onto a cutting bored and slice it into thin slices. Two pieces is usually a good portion size, unless you can slice it deli thin. Add a serving of the sweet potato fries and broccoli and serve!

This meal is perfect for a Sunday dinner where you have time to let the meat cook for a while and absorb all the wonderful flavors! Pair this with a crisp Chardonnay and you will be very pleased!

What you need

Pork Loin

Garlic Salt

Herb "Holy Trinity"

EVOO

Sweet Potato Fries [Ore Ida Steak are the best!]

Broccoli

Cilantro Lime Chicken and Mexican Rice

This dish is simple, delicious, and relatively healthy, for those of you for which that matters. Also, you will most likely have some mexican rice left over so you can use it for future meals! It is perfect for a summer day where you want something a little lighter but yet very flavorful! The lime on the chicken mixed with the cilantro gives a light, earthy flavor while the rice has a little kick to bring everything together.

Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees and place the chicken breasts in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. While the chicken is cooking, put one cup of rice and two cups of water in a medium sauce pan. Mix in a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, a tablespoon of Cayenne pepper powder, a tablespoon of Chili powder, and a tablespoon of Cilantro. Bring the mixture up to a boil over high heat. Once the mixture is boiling, lower the temperature to medium and cover allowing to simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally with a fork.

While the rice and chicken are cooking, combine in a large bowl one can of sweet corn [NoProTip: They have canned corn that has red and green peppers already mixed in, thats what I used!], one can of black beans, one can of soy beans [I know they aren't "mexican" per se, but I love them and wanted to use them, you won't regret it!], and finally half a cup of diced tomatoes. Mix all that together in the bowl and set to the side.

When your 25 minute timer goes off for your chicken, pull it out of the oven. Drizzle lime juice over the top, half a lime for each breast, and sprinkle cilantro over that. Place the chicken back into the oven for another 10 minutes to help the lime juice soak in and completely cook the chicken through.

When the rice has fully cooked the liquid out, mix in the corn mixture into the rice, cover and let sit until the chicken is finished cooking. The heat of the rice will heat up all the other added ingredients. An optional step is to add some lime juice to the rice mixture, that depends on your preference towards lime juice of course.

Once the chicken is done, put a portion of the rice mixture on the plate and place the chicken breast on the top edge of the rice. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over the top to help bring out the flavor of the cilantro and the lime.

This meal goes great with a Mexican cerveza like Corona or a sweet white wine.

What you need

Chicken

White rice

Lime, about 2-3 [or buy lime juice, works just as well]

Sweet corn

Black beans

Soy beans

Cilantro

Cayenne pepper powder

Chili Powder

EVOO

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Mini Burger Sliders

When on vacation, you may be tired of eating out three times a day every day. I mean, lets be real, that's too expensive! And, your condo that you're renting out has a full size kitchen with every pot or pan or dish you could ever need! And not to mention that awesome gas grill that is just sitting there on the patio, it probably hasn't been used in over a year! Well, it's time to fire it up and create a dinner that will be perfect for the kiddos that are tired from the beach or pool or shopping all day!

Mini burger sliders are really simple. Start with prime ground chuck, a pound is usually a good amount for a family of four, but hey, you may have some eaters! Put the meat in a large mixing bowl and prepare to season the meat to add amazing flavor! Now, McCormick has some awesome "Grill Mates" season mixes that work great! However, if you don't want to buy a season that you feel is only meant for one purpose and you don't do that purpose very often, just get some salt and pepper, paprika, and garlic. Those are pretty basic seasoning to put in your meat.

Go ahead and turn on that grill before you start seasoning your meat so that it can start heating up. I always have the grill heat up on high and then I turn the heat down to medium right before I use it. If you are using a coal grill then good luck! Those things have never cooperated for me!

With the meat in the bowl, sprinkle even amounts of the paprika and garlic over the meat, about a half a tablespoon of each for a pound of meat. Then add the salt and pepper to taste, depends on how salty/peppery you like things. I always say, "It is O.K. to add more salt or pepper at the table, but all other seasoning must be cooked in!" Once the seasoning is sprinkled in, portion the meat out into small, slider sized, patties on a plate.

After you have formed all the patties, preheat the oven to 425 degrees to prepare for your side to go in. I have chosen to make some "Tater-Tots" for my side today, but choose whatever happens to be your families favorite! Ore-Ida makes the best "Tater-Tots" in my opinion, so that is the ones I will be using! The instructions as how to make those are on the side of the bag and that is the best option. When seasoning them after cooking, do a light coating of salt and allow each person to add salt as the please.

Once your grill is preheated to a high temperature, turn the heat down to medium and place the slider patties on the grill. Close the lid and let them sit over the heat for no more than five minutes. Once five minutes has passed, head back out there and flip the burgers. [NoProTip: Flipping the patties more than once will unnecessarily drain the meat of essential juices and you will end up with dry meat! Allow most of the cooking to be done on the first side!] After the burgers have been flipped for two to three minutes, remove them from the grill.

Let the burgers rest for about five minutes to allow the juices inside the meat to settle and for all the flavors to truly flower! While the meat is settling, turn off the grill and throw on your mini burger buns to allow them to lightly toast. Don't leave them on too long or they may burn, the five minute resting time should be perfect!

The best cheese for theses is a hearty cheese like Swiss or Havarti, however; you can use whichever cheese is your favorite!

Plate this with two slider on each plate with a serving of the "Tater-Tots", or whichever side you chose to go with. Don't forget to offer lettuce, tomato, pickle, ketchup, mayonnaise, or mustard as toppings for your diners. I like to enjoy this meal with a nice cold beer or a glass of iced sweet tea!

What you need

Prime ground chuck

Mini burger buns

Side of your choice [Tater-Tots]

Paprika

Garlic

Salt and Pepper

Cheese [Swiss or Havarti]

Burger condiments [optional]

McCormick "Grill Mates" [optional]

Vacation!!!

So, just to make you a little jealous, I am currently at my parents house at Hilton Head Island in South Carolina. It is a beautiful time, at least today! I plan on getting some nice sun rays and going home with a darker complexion! Check out the cocktails page for some awesome vacation drink ideas to come soon!

Smothered Chicken and Rice

Chicken is great! So are mushrooms, and cheese! Why not combine them? Smothered chicken is an easy way to make a simple chicken breast into something amazing, and its super easy! Its perfect for those nights where you are tired from the kids running around all day because its been raining and you've been trapped in the home and you want to simply kill them, but instead you will cook something that is simple and delicious. Or say you only have a toaster oven and electric hot plate in your college dorm, its still easy!

Start with preheating your oven to 400 degrees. Place chicken breast in your baking dish and drizzle with EVOO and season with salt and pepper. Bake the chicken for thirty minutes or until the juices run clear.

While the chicken is cooking, you can start on your rice. A good rule of thumb to follow when making rice is 1 cup of rice needs 2 cups of water. 1 cup of rice yields a good serving of rice too! Enough for two or three people. Rinse your rice three times under cold water before cooking it. This helps take any harmful pesticides off of it as well as wash off a layer of starch that can cause the rice to be too sticky. This step is optional but makes for better rice. Place the rice and water in a pot and season with salt and drizzle in a little EVOO to help keep the rice from sticking to the pot. Bring the water to a boil over high heat and lower down to a simmer over medium heat. If you are using an electric oven, you may need to use two burners so the heat transfer can go quicker. Cover the rice tightly and and let it simmer for about 15 minutes until all the water is cooked out. After the water has cooked out of the pot, fluff the rice with a fork and let it sit, covered, for at least five minutes. This helps the heat and water transfer to fully penetrate the rice.

While the rice is cooking, put your sliced and cleaned mushrooms in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Drizzle EVOO over the mushrooms and allow them to cook down for about 10 minutes.

When the chicken is done cooking, take it out of the oven and top with the sauteed mushrooms. With the mushrooms on top of the chicken, place a piece of provolone, or swiss, cheese and place back in the oven under the broiler until the cheese is fully melted.

Plate this with a good helping of rice on the plate and put one smothered chicken breast on top of the rice. Sprinkle a little basil over the top to add a little more flavor, and color. Serve with a nice chilled glass of a sweet white wine, or your favorite beer.

What you need

Chicken Breast

Rice

Extra Virgin Olive Oil [EVOO]

Salt and Pepper

Mushrooms

Cheese [provolone or swiss]

Basil