Archive | April, 2010

“Mashed Potatoes” made with Cauliflower

30 Apr

I have never been a huge mashed potato fan. I LOVE potatoes (despite a childhood fear that they looked like… well… we won’t go there).  I love them baked and fried and especially roasted.  But it takes a special mashed version to tickle my fancy.  I find most too bland.  So for me, the exchange from mashed potato to mashed cauliflower was a no brainer.  And I could add garlic and cheese?! Score!

First I roasted up some garlic (cut the top of a garlic bulb off, wrap in foil, put a bit of olive oil on the top, close the foil, toss in pre-heated 400 degree oven for 25-30 minutes… so many uses!).

Then I steamed up some cauliflower and put it into a bowl with 3/4 cup of fat free cheddar cheese, a half cup of skim milk, 1 Tablespoon butter (probably could have gone without) and the garlic cloves and used my (awesome) immersion blender to start pureeing (can also be done with a blender when it’s cooler and in batches… but why do that when you can get an immersion blender for $25??).

Within moments I had a perfect looking mashed potato-like veggie!  I saved some of the garlic cloves from the puree so I could mix them in whole.  Mmmmmm Nom Nom Nom.

Not too shabby for 5 points for half the recipe!

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Houndstooth Pub

28 Apr

When Mike suggested we go to a Pub in our neighborhood, at first I thought I couldn’t do that.But I embrace the Weight Watchers philosophy that you can eat whatever you’d like to as long as you honestly track it (everything has a point value) and then balance it.  Sure, you can have a giant piece of cake, but it could cost you your entire point value for the day.  You do that once or twice and you realize you’d much rather have something filling and then a bite of chocolate cake. It’s all about trade offs and balancing your food, like a bank account. I’ve realized the more honest I am about what I eat, the better I do (psss… 11 and a half pounds down!)

Houndstooth Pub is an unassuming bar and restaurant on 8th Ave between 36th and 37th.  Turns out, a lot of people go there for drinks. I never knew it was so hopping, but it was quite LOUD on this weekday night.  Luckily, their tables are a bit set back from the bar, so it wasn’t too bad and I didn’t notice the noise much after we tried to squeeze through the crowd to our table.

Mike saw frog’s legs on the menu and decided that this was the place for him to try them for the first time. Now I’ve never been a fan, but seriously? At a pub?!  I tried not to make too many faces… but I thought he was pretty f-in crazy (sorry honey!)

I tried one… it was pretty bad. The frog meat was pretty greasy and rubbery (how I remember frog usually being) and the breading just tasted stale.  Bleh.  Mike tried a few… and then that was it.  Poor Kermy…

Mike chose the Grilled Marinated Chicken Breast, Homemade Mozzarella, Arugula & Onions, served on Toasted Rosemary Herb Bread with Mission Olive Mayo.  The menu says sweet potato fries, but clearly they were not.  The sandwich was good for pub food. Juicy and flavorful.

I went bold (perhaps inspired by Mike’s frogs leg choice) and went with a stew. I think it was lamb stew.  I had done well with points for most of the day, so I ate the stew and went without the bread. The stew was 1 cup for 5 points. Not terrible! I was actually glad the portion was a bit on the small side.

Overall, I thought the Houndstooth was actually quite good for pub fare.  I think it would probably be a good place to grab a drink and a bite, but it’s just a bit too crowded.  I’m not sure if I’ll be rushing back though.

Total Nom Points: 6.5 out of 10

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Honey Glazin

26 Apr

I had to use both a pork loin and shrimp by the same day and, unfortunately, I found myself on that day.  I’m always nervous about letting food go past expiration dates, but pork and seafood are on the top of my fearful list. I had a Weight Watchers recipe for a honey glazed pork loin so I figured I’d just double the sauce and use it for the shrimp.  It works great for both!  So much flavor for just 4 points.  We paired it with some garlicky spinach and quinoa. Nom Nom Nom.

Pork loin is so easy to cook and so tasty!

The shrimp in the same sauce was also sooooo tasty.

Full pot of raw spinach and garlic:

Reduces to tiny bit of cooked spinach and garlic in the same pot.

(I’m always so impressed with how the volume of raw spinach reduces to the volume of wilted spinach)

Full plate with quinoa.

The sauce was soooo good over the quinoa!

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RECIPES
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Honey Glazed Pork Tenderloin (Just use the same sauce for the shrimp!)
4 points!

Ingredients:

  • 16 ounces Extra Lean Port Tenderloin
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce, low sodium
  • 2 cloves garlic — minced
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

    • 

Instructions:

  1. Trim excess fat from pork. Tie it to make it even shape. Place in a heavy plastic bag.
  2. Mix the soy sauce, garlic, and ginger. Add to bag. Coat pork well. Marinade for 2 hours or over night in refrigerator.
  3. Remove pork from marinade. Pat dry.
  4. Combine honey and sugar. Brush over pork. Coat with sesame seeds.
  5. Roast for 20-30 minutes at 375 degrees F.
  6. Slice thinly and serve.

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