Portuguese Fish Steamed in Tomato Sauce

A couple weeks ago we attended an event in Downtown New Bedford, Viva Portugal.  We went to a cooking demonstration and learned how to cook a Portuguese Fish dish from Maria Lawton.

We went home that day and decided to try it for ourselves.  It was amazing and so easy! Here is what you will need:

SAUCE
2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
1 Large can of Diced Tomatoes
1 Small can of Diced Tomatoes with garlic
1 Sweet Onion, Chopped
3 Tablespoons Garlic, Minced
3 Tablespoons Hot Crushed Red Pepper

FISH
1-2 lbs Cod Fish
1 Cup Beer (I used Coors Light) (You could also use white wine or water)
Paprika
1 Bunch Parsley, Chopped

In a pan, heat the olive oil.  Add in the tomato's, chopped onion, garlic and crushed red pepper. Heat on high for about 5-10 minutes and then simmer for 30 minutes but you can let simmer longer if needed.

Now that the sauce has been prepared we can start the fish.  Add the beer to the sauce and heat covered until steaming.  Divide the fish into 4 sections and salt.  Add to the pan and sprinkle with paprika to taste.

Cover and let the fish cook for about 20 minutes or until done.  Top with the fresh parsley and serve with rice, potato or pasta.  Enjoy!

Herbalife 21 Day Shake Challenge - Day 21

Wow! Here we are at Day 21, our FINAL DAY, of the Herbalife 21 Day Shake Challenge.  Now they say it takes 21 days to form a habit and let me tell you, this is a habit I don't want to break as it is the best kind of habit you can have, a healthy lifestyle! I still have a good way to go on my journey but I have come a long way and find myself making better decisions for both my body and my mind both inside and out.

For our final day I decided to try something new and went with a Chai Shake, here's how I did it:

2 Scoops French Vanilla Formula 1
4 Tablespoons Chai Concentrate
6 Ice Cubes
8oz Milk
A Dash of Cinnamon

If you want to see change you can't just sit there and hope and wish, you need to take that first step and jump in.  I mean in the end what do you have to lose......except a few pounds and maybe some old bad habits!  If you are interested in learning more about a healthy lifestyle and Herbalife, please feel free to contact me directly. I'd love to help you start your journey that will turn into the best habit you have!

Herbalife 21 Day Shake Challenge - Day 18

Today is Day 18 of the Herbalife 21 Day Shake Challenge and we only have 3 days left! There is nothing better than walking outside in the morning and seeing the sun shining and no snow on the ground! It may still be a little cold but I'll take it.  We haven't had a terrible winter but I am definitely ready for Spring. I went with a butterscotch shake today and here is how I made it:

2 Scoops French Vanilla Formula 1
1 Tablespoon of Butterscotch Pudding
8 oz  Milk
8 Ice Cubes
A Dash of Cinnamon

I loved this shake, although it's butterscotch it has a caramel flavor to it and helps me avoid that caramel macchiato in the morning.

Herbalife 21 Day Shake Challenge - Day 17

We are now on day 17 of the Herbalife 21 Day Shake Challenge and today I went back to one of my favorite shake flavor......Orange Cream.  I made this shake back on Day 4 and once again it basically tasted like a nutritional Orange Julius but this time I added fresh banana instead of the banana pudding.  So here is how I did it:

2 Scoops Orange Cream Formula 1 

1/2 Medium Banana

6-8 Ice Cubes

8 oz Fat Free Milk

As always, it all goes into the Nutri Ninja and breakfast is served!

Herbalife 21 Day Shake Challenge - Day 14

Today is Day 14 of the Herbalife 21 Day Shake Challenge, it is the end of week two, it is Valentine's Day and it is about -15 outside! I woke up to breakfast made by my wonderful husband so I didn't have my typical shake to start the day, instead I had a mid-day shake and seeing how cold it is outside I opted for a hot shake today.  I kept it simply:

2 Scoops French Vanilla Formula 1
8 oz Warm Milk
1 Tablespoon of Honey
A Few dashes of Cinnamon

For the hot shake I heat the milk and then add in everything else and mix with a hand mixer**.  Once blended, I add a dash a cinnamon on top to finish it off.

**Do not add warm liquid to the nutri ninja if you are using one, I learned the hard way it will basically burst

Happy Valentine's Day All!

Herbalife 21 Day Shake Challenge - Day 12

We have made it through the work week and Day 12 of the Herbalife 21 Day Shake Challenge! I've really taken to this challenge and LOVE how it gets Herbalife out there in the world.  I have had quite a few people reach out to me and ask me what it is and what I have been doing as they notice the "shake pictures" everyday.  I am excited that it is Friday and look forward to hopefully getting over to New Life Nutrition tomorrow for a shake and some tea AND I have an Herbalife order expected to arrive tomorrow!

So today I tried a Blueberry Cheesecake Shake to start my day and I am hoping to possibly do two a day shakes next week for the final stretch!

Blueberry Cheesecake Shake:

2 Scoops French Vanilla Formula 1
1 Tablespoon Cheesecake Pudding
1 Handful of Blueberries
6 Ice Cubes
8oz Milk

Herbalife 21 Day Shake Challenge - Day 11

We have made it past the half way point as today is Day 11 in the Herbalife 21 Day Shake Challenge! I decided to try something new today and it ended up tasting like I was drinking Lemon Meringue Pie and it was AMAZING! I truly love the French Vanilla Formula 1 shake mix since you could literally come up with a new shake everyday.  So here is what I did:

2 Scoops French Vanilla Formula 1
1 Tablespoon Lemon Pudding Mix
8oz Milk
6 Ice Cubes

Blend the above together and you have yourself a drinkable breakfast pie, what better way to start the day (I promise I am happier than I look, really not a morning person!)!

Herbalife 21 Day Shake Challenge - Day 9

Today is day 9 of the Herbalife 21 Day Shake Challenge and although it is Tuesday it feels more like a Monday, a very long Monday! Nothing exciting today, I literally made a basic French Vanilla shake with a dash of cinnamon and then drank it so fast I was almost done before I got to the photo!

Tomorrow is another day and a better day that will be!

Herbalife 21 Day Shake Challenge - Day 8

Here we go, its Day 8 and the start of week two of the Herbalife 21 Day Shake Challenge! No better way to start the week than with a snow storm causing you to work from home on the couch with a corgi and a nice fruity shake for breakfast to get you thinking of the warmer days ahead (hopefully sooner rather than later)!

So far today (10:15am) I have checked breakfast, a conference call, some emails and shoveling off my list and I think today is going to turn out to be a very productive snow day!

Today's Breakfast Shake:

2 Scoops Orange Cream Formula 1
1 Tablespoon Banana Pudding
1 Tablespoon Coconut (a little extra to top it with)
6-8 Ice Cubes
8oz Milk

Today's Lunch Shake:

1 Scoop Orange Cream Formula 1
1 Scoops French Vanilla Formula 1
1 Tablespoon Banana Pudding
1/4 Cup Fresh Pineapple
6-8 Ice Cubes
8oz Milk

Herbalife 21 Day Shake Challenge - Day 7

Today is the end of week 1 and also day 7 in our Herbalife 21 day shake challenge.  Today I tried a new recipe, pineapple cheesecake.  Here is what you need for the delish shake:

2 Scoops French Vanilla Formula 1
1/2 Cup Fresh Pinapple
1 Tablespoon Cheesecake Pudding
8oz Milk
6-8 Ice Cubes

I throw everything into my Nutri-Ninja to make sure it is all blended well and we are off to a great start on this Superbowl Sunday Funday!

Herbalife 21 Day Shake Challenge - Day 6

The weekend is finally here! It is Saturday and Day 6 of the Herbalife 21 Day Shake Challenge.  Today I decided to take a drive and head to New Life Nutrition in Seekonk for my shake. I am starting to get my mom on track with the Herbalife products so had her come along for the ride as well (not to mention there is plenty of shopping in the area too). We arrived and had a tough choice of the many shake options they offer, you can check out some of the options here. We both decided to go with the peach tea with mango aloe and then my mom had the Pumpkin Pie Shake and I had the Pistachio Cheesecake shake.

Both were delicious but my mom def found her new go to shake and I will be putting in an order for some tea and aloe soon!

Herbalife 21 Day Shake Challenge - Day 5

Day 5 of the Herbalife 21 Day Shake Challenge started with the same orange banana shake as Day 4.  I did give the Orange Liftoff a try today as well to get this long, cold, snowy day started.  Some key benefits (from the Herbalife site) of Liftoff include:

• Helps you stay alert and focused with caffeine*
• Supports brain function, accelerates memory recall† and helps reduce the feeling of mental fatigue with ginsenosides*
• Specially formulated with 351 mg of a unique energy blend that includes panax ginseng, L-taurine, caffeine, guarana extract and inositol
• Loaded with Vitamin C and energy-supporting B vitamins: B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7 and B12

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

†Temporary benefit based on consumption of ginseng by healthy young adults

Herbalife 21 Day Shake Challenge - Day 4

We are now on day 4 of the Herbalife 21 Day Shake Challenge and today I went back to my favorite shake flavor......Orange Cream.  I did mix it up a bit and made an Orange banana shake for breakfast which basically tasted like a nutritional Orange Julius and made me think of warm summer days during this miserable rainy morning.  So here is how I did it:

2 Scoops Orange Cream Formula 1 

1 Tablespoon Banana Pudding Mix

6-8 Ice Cubes

8 oz Fat Free Milk

As always, it all goes into the Nutri Ninja and breakfast is served! 

Herbalife 21 Day Shake Challenge - Day 3

So today is day 3 of our Herbalife 21 day shake challenge and let me tell you it has been a busy one. Before I started adding Herbalife to my diet, days like today would cause me to either skip meals or grab a bagel at dunks.  I was in a rush this morning and threw together the same pistachio shake as Monday (one of my favorites).

I then grabbed a chocolate coconut protein bar and some shake mix for lunch.  To mix things up a bit, I decided to make a pistachio mug cake for lunch and it was delish!

I always have some fruit in the office so I had an apple and an orange as well as the protein bar for snacks throughout the day. Here's to hump day!

Herbalife 21 Day Shake Challenge - Day 2

Today is day 2 in my Herbalife 21 day shake challenge and this morning I threw together a banana-ish shake that included the following:

2 Scoops of French Vanilla Formula 1
1 Small Banana
1 Tablespoon of Butterscotch Pudding
8 oz of Non-Fat Milk
6 Ice Cubes
Dash of Cinnamon

All of the above gets put in the Nutri Ninja and we have ourselves a delicious nutritious breakfast on the go!

Herbalife 21 Day Shake Challenge - Day 1

I have been using Herbalife formula 1 shake mix for the past few months as a meal replacement.  I started using it to assist in losing a few pounds.  I did great at first and then, like everyone, fell off track around the holidays. I haven't tracked my progress closely but have lost at least 6 inches and 7 lbs when I did track it throughout a 21 day period.

Starting today, I am participating in a 21 day shake challenge with other herbalifers.  Throughout this challenge I will be posting a photo of my shake daily and decided to share different recipes I use along the way here.  From time to time I will also post about my progress as I have taken day one measurements and will check my results on day 21 as well.

So today's shake was a Pistachio Shake:

2 scoops of French Vanilla Formula 1
1 Tablespoon of Instant Pistachio Pudding Mix
8oz of Non-Fat Milk
6 Ice Cubes
A Dash of Cinnamon

I like to put it all in my Nutri-Ninja to make sure everything is blended well.  Its a quick, easy and most importantly nutritional breakfast on the go.

Stay tuned for more recipes to come in the next 21 days!

Homemade Gum Drops

It's that time of year and the week of Christmas is here. Still busy trying to decide what I want to make and just came across these that I made a couple years ago....Homemade Gum Drops!

Ingredients

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups applesauce

2 boxes red or green jello

2 packets unflavored gelatin

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Sugar for coating

Add the following to a large sauce pan 2 cups sugar 1 1/2 cups applesauce 2 boxes red or green jello 2 packets unflavored gelatin 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Stir and let stand 1 minute

Bring to boil storing constantly

Once boiling stir for one minute

Transfer to 11 x 7 pan sprayed with cooking spray.

Refrigerate for 3 hours

Remove from pan and cut into squares or use cookie cutters.dipped in hot water for shapes

Sit out for 8 hours for drying

While slightly sticky coat in sugar and ENJOY!

Sunday Funday Venison Chili

So my husband loves to hunt and a few weeks ago he brought home a deer.  Now I don't eat venison, or any red meat for that matter, but yet I have an entire freezer in my cellar filled with venison. Although I may not eat it I don't have a problem cooking with it as Scott loves it and I don't seem to have a problem finding others to enjoy the leftovers.  So yesterday I was home all day enjoying Hallmark movies with a mix of football and decided to make a pot of venison chili.  I would have to say that chili is probably one of the easiest things to make, its pretty simple.  Here is what you will need for my venison chili:

1.5 lbs of ground Venison
1 Green Bell Pepper, diced
1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
1 Jalapeno Pepper, diced
1 Sweet Onion, diced
4 Tablespoons of Garlic, crushed
1.5 Tablespoons of Chili Powder
1 Tablespoon of Cumin
2 Teaspoons of Red Pepper Flakes
1 Tablespoon Fiesta Party Seasoning (Tastefully Simple)
1 Tablespoon of Pink Himalayan Sea Salt
2 Teaspoons of Black Pepper
1 Small can of Diced Tomatoes with Green Chili's
1/2 Large can of Diced Tomatoes
3 Tablespoons of Tomato Paste
18 oz. Low Sodium and Low Fat Chicken Stock
2 small cans of Kidney Beans, drained and rinsed


1) Start by browning the venison in a dutch oven.  Once browned you can remove the meat with a slotted spoon and set aside, I covered it to keep it warm.

2) Add the 3 peppers, onion and garlic to the pot and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened.

3) Add the spices and cook for another 5 minutes.

4) Add in the venison, tomatoes, tomato paste and chick stock and bring to a boil.

5) Once boiling, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

6) Add in the beans and cook for another 15 minutes on low.

7) Remove from the heat.  I like to let it sit for a while before serving.  Scott like it as is but you can top with your favorite cheese, a spoonful of sour cream or both! Enjoy!

Natural Wood Smoked Sea Salts

Scott and I were at a craft fair over the Holidays and bought a small jar of a smoked sea salt.  We got to thinking of all the possibilities and how we could probably make some smoked salts of our own. We stated with one and did some research and before we knew it we had about 7 different smoked salts and two infused salts.  With all the salt we now have we figured why not package them up and open a shop on Etsy.  I mean, what so we have to loose? 

Check out the shop to see the flavors we currently have and purchase them to try on your own! 

Oven Roasted Pot Roast

Today I woke up not feeling well and decided to stay home and rest for the day.  I haven't had much of an appetite so decided that cooking a meal Scott likes would be the perfect idea.  Since I was home I figured I would throw together a pot roast (well it might be little more that just throwing something together). Here is what you will need to "throw" this meal together for dinner.

(1) 3lb Rye Round Roast
(4) TBSP of EVOO
(1) Medium Sweet Onion (peeled and cut into quarters)
(6) Carrots (washed and cut into 1 inch pieces)
(3) Cloves of Garlic
(1) can Beef Broth
Splash of Red Wine
(1) Sprig of Rosemary
(3) Sprigs of Thyme
Salt and Pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
First add (3) TBSP of EVOO to a skillet.  While the oil heats up, salt and pepper the beef heavily and let sit.
Add the onion to the skillet and brown on all sides. Remove to a plate and set aside.
Add the carrots and the garlic to the skillet to brown.  Remove the carrots only and add to the plate with the onions.
Add the remaining oil to the pan and push the garlic to the sides.
Add the prepared beef to the pan and sear on all sides. Remove the beef and add to a baking casserole with a cover.  Add the onions and carrots to the baking dish.
Add a splash of red wine to the skillet to de-glaze the pan. Scrape the bottom to lift any browning stuck to the pan to add flavor to your soon to be gravy.
Add the can of beef broth and herbs and bring to a simmer.
Remove from heat and add the the casserole dish.  Topping the beef with the garlic and herb sprigs.

Cover the pan and roast in the oven for about and hour and half to 2 hours.
Remove and let rest for about a half hour.  Serve with mash potatoes, topping all with the "gravy" left in the baking dish. Enjoy!