Crunchy Shrimp Roll

Happy Halloween!

What an interesting couple of days so far.  With the whole Hurricane Sandy aka: "Frankenstorm" happening on the east coast, it was a lot to take in!



My heart goes out to NYC and all of those that were impacted by the storm!  The DC area got hit as well with plenty of flooding, erosion and power outages.  What is going on with these storms? 

Luckily, today is Halloween and I know the kids can't wait to bust out their costumes and trick or treat, yay!  I'm glad I was able to bust out a costume of my own this past Saturday for Earl-o-ween/1920's Themed Party.

The suave BF and I.

Maggie and I being sophisticated.

Here is a recipe that I was able to make during Hurricane Sandy and it went down very well with wine, Rice Krispies, and a marathon on Bravo!

This is Crunchy Shrimp Roll.  The new sushi set is compliments of my friends, Maggie and Justin.  TY, guys!  Next time you come over, I'll make sushi for you!

Servings:  5 (or two if you're really hungry)

Serving size- 1 roll

Calories:  425.05
Fat:  13.94 g   

Carbs:  63.15 g
Fiber:  4.66   g 

Protein:  12.08 g 

Points:  11 

Recipe for sushi:

10 pieces of cooked large shrimp

2.5 Tbsp of neufchatel cream cheese

1 avocado
1 medium cucumber

1 package of sushi nori seaweed sheets (package of 10, but we will use 5 sheets)

1.75 cups Nishiki sushi rice

1 Tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar

sugar

sushi mat

wasabi (optional)
2 bunches of green onions (optional)
Kikkoman's Less Sodium Soy Sauce

Recipe for the shrimp batter:
2/3 cup Japanese style panko breadcrumbs (I use Trader Joe's brand)
1 large egg
ground "cayenne" red pepper (optional)
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Recipe for the special spicy sauce:
1/4 cup lite mayo
1 Tbsp. honey
3 tsp. Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce

1.  First, measure out the rice and place it in the rice cooker bowl.  Take the bowl out of the rice cooker and proceed to rinse the rice off in the sink.  Place the lid over the bowl to drain the water out. Then, add 1.75 cup of water to the rice.  Place the rice back in the cooker and set to cook.  The rice should cook for 15-20 minutes.

2.  Take the shrimp and pat it dry.  Then in a medium bowl, mix together the shrimp batter consisting of the panko and sprinkle of ground red pepper. 

3.  Crack open the egg and place it in a small bowl.  Beat the egg with a fork.

4. Place the vegetable oil in a medium pan and place it on the stove.  Set the dial to medium heat.

5. Wait for the oil to heat up and begin dipping the shrimp in the egg and then the batter.  Place them on a cutting board until all of the shrimp are dipped in the egg/batter.

6.  After all of the shrimp are ready, place them in the pan and begin to cook each side for 2-3 minutes.  The batter should turn a nice golden brown.  Keep a close watch so that the batter doesn't burn.  I use a fork to turn the shrimp over.  A spatula is too flimsy.

7.  After all of the shrimp have cooked, remove them from the stove and back to a clean cutting board.  Remove the tails of the shrimp and cut them in half.

8.  Then, cut up the avocado, cucumber, and cream cheese into thin strips.

9.  Once the rice cooker timer has gone off, take off the lid and add the seasoned rice vinegar and a sprinkle of sugar to the rice.  Mix it together with the rice cooker spoon.  Turn off the rice cooker and place the lid back on top.

10.  Get out a flat cutting board and place the sushi mat on top.  Place one of the seaweed sheets on top of the mat so that the rough end is facing up.  Then, scrape out small spoonfuls of the rice and spread half of the rice evenly on the sheet.

11.  At the bottom of the sheet, place the 1 Tbsp. of the cream cheese.  Then place thin strips of cucumber, avocado, and 6-7 half pieces of shrimp on top. Proceed to tightly roll the bottom of the roll towards the top.  Don't worry about using the mat to roll the seaweed.  Just focus on tightly rolling the seaweed mat itself. 

12.  Once it is rolled, cut the rolls with a sharp knife into 1/2 inch pieces.

13.  In a small bowl, mix together the light mayo, honey, and Sriracha hot chili sauce.  Spread it over the top of the sushi.

14.  Dice up the green onions and sprinkle them over the top of the sushi.

That is it!  You will probably have leftover egg, panko, rice, and the special spicy sauce.  There will also be leftover avocado and cucumber, but that means you can use it for the next meal!

This is not the healthiest sushi, but it's way better than ordering chinese or pizza.  Plus, the sushi looks so appealing in the end.



 

Cheese Stuffed Figs with Balsamic Vinegar, Honey, and Pecans

It's all about the figs, baby.  Fresh figs are so much more than the Fig Newtons you see at the grocery store or at your grandparent's house.  Although I must say they are getting good with the assortment of flavors:  triple berry, apple cinnamon, strawberry, etc. 

Did you know that Fig Newtons are now just "Newtons?"  They dropped the "Fig" to distinguish their cookies as having other fruit flavors instead of the typical fig/prune.  When did that happen?  I always miss the name changes. OK, maybe not with the stars since they usually announce their name change. :-P  (ex:  Snoop Dogg is now Snoop Lion?)

Anyways, fresh figs are great because they can be a nice fall snack and require little preparation for guests if used as an appetizer.  Plus, they are almost completely edible (with the top cut off), are filling, and a prepared fig only comes to less than 80 calories per fig.  That's not much and they are so delicious!

So without further ado, please check out, Cheese Stuffed Figs with Balsamic Vinegar, Honey, and Pecans!

This mouth-watering appetizer can be prepared in 15 minutes!

  Servings:  6

Serving size- 1 fig

Calories:  79.5
Fat:  2.93 g   

Carbs:  12.83 g
Fiber:  1.2   g 

Protein:  1.31 g 

Points:  2 

Recipe:

6 small figs 
1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp. Neufchatel cream cheese
2 Tbsp. soft goat cheese
1 1/2 Tbsp. honey
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
6 pecan halves

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
2.  Wash the figs and pat them dry with a towel.  Then, cut the stem/top off of the figs.
3. With a sharp knife, cut an "X" pattern on the top of the fig so it can be stuffed with the cheese.
4.  Rub the olive oil on the top of the cut fig.
5.  Place the goat cheese in the fig.  Repeat with the cream cheese.
6.  Place the figs on a baking sheet and cook for 10-12 minutes.
7.  Once baked, take the figs out of the oven and drizzle honey and balsamic vinegar on top of them. 
8.  Place a pecan half on top of the fig.

Warning:  The figs will be HOT so allow time to cool before serving.

P.S.  Trader Joe's has been selling figs for $5.00 for a huge container! 

Fig inspiration by Grape and Bean in Old Town, Alexandria, VA.

  

Beef & Brocolli Stir Fry

What could be better than a nice stir fry?  It's easy, healthy, and so delicious!

I've made stir frys before with red and yellow peppers, mushrooms, and onions, but for some reason I've never thrown broccoli in the mix.  Broccoli kind of gets a bad rep for being an icky vegetable, but it's really good if it's cooked well or when dipped in ranch. ;) 

This month is Breast Cancer Awareness month so since I had this recipe in hiding, I figured now would be a good time to bring it out and support the cause with a cancer fighting superfood, broccoli!  I've had family members who have experienced the disease, fought, and won.  I'm very happy and blessed that they were able to overcome the battle.



Broccoli is extremely high in vitamin C and holds a chemical called intole-3-carbinol that boasts DNA repair in cells.  In the end, it can help block the growth of cancer cells!  

With that said, my goal this fall is to eat more vegetables and foods that carry these rich cancer fighting antioxidants.

So here is the easiest stir fry you'll ever make, Beef & Broccoli Stir fry! 

It can be served over rice or made into fajitas!

Servings:  4

Serving size- 1 1/4 cup

Calories:  314.73
Fat:  10.32 g   

Carbs:  40.32 g
Fiber:  2.85   g 

Protein:  12.85 g 

Points:  8 

Recipe:

3 Tbsp. cornstarch

1/2 cup water
2 Tbsp. water, divided
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 1lb boneless round steak or sirloin steak  

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
4 cups broccoli florets

1 small onion, diced

1/3 cup Kikkoman's Low Sodium Soy Sauce or GF Soy Sauce

2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. ground ginger
2 cups cooked rice (optional)

1.  In a bowl, combine 2 Tbsp. cornstarch, 2 Tbsp. water and garlic powder and still until mixed.

2.  Stir the sliced beef into the mixture.

3.  In a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat, stir-fry beef in 1 Tbsp oil until the beef reaches desired color.  Remove from beef from the wok into a bowl.

4.  Stir-fry the broccoli and onion in 1 Tbsp. oil for 4-5 minutes.

5.  Return the beef to the pan with the vegetables.

6.  Combine soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger and 1 Tbsp. cornstarch and water into a small bowl and stir until smooth.

7.  Add to the pan and cook and stir for 2 minutes.

8.  Serve over rice (GF) or in tortillas (not GF).

Recipe is courtesy of ChineseFood.com

Here's also a fundraising event going on in DC the month of October!  It's sponsored by Pink Jams! and it's called Take a Bite Out of Breast Cancer.  For one day, a week, or the entire month, participating restaurants in DC are offering to donate a portion of their food and beverage sales to the cause.  Just go to Pink Jams!'s website, pick a date from their calendar, and pick a restaurant to go to, and not only will you have a wonderful meal, you could save a life.

DC and VA Participating Restaurants

    

2100 Prime (Modern American)
Washington, D.C. - 2100prime.com

Bodega Spanish Tapas and Lounge (Spanish Tapas)
Washington, D.C. - bodegadc.com

Café Soleil (French Bistro)
Washington, D.C. - cafesoleildc.com

Chix (Healthy Fast Food/Latin)
Participating all month - Washington, D.C. - chixdc.com

Crios Modern Mexican (Mexican)
Washington, D.C. - criosmodmex.com

The Daily Dish (American Farm to Fork)
Silver Spring, MD - thedailydishrestaurant.com

El Centro D.F. (Mexican)
Washington, D.C. - elcentrodf.com

Hank's Oyster Bar (Seafood and Raw Bar)
All 3 locations participating - D.C./Alexandria - hanksrestaurants.com

Josie's Frozen Yogurt (Frozen Yogurt)
Fairfax, VA - josiesyogurt.com

Lavagna (Italian)
Washington, D.C. - lavagnadc.com

Masa 14 (Latin/Asian Fusion)
Washington, D.C. - masa14.com

PAUL (Bakery)
Washington, D.C. - paul-usa.com

Policy (Contemporary American)
Washington, D.C. - policydc.com

Proof (New American)
Washington, D.C. - proofdc.com

Scion Restaurant (Contemporary American)
Washington, D.C. - scionrestaurant.com

Station 4 (Modern American)
Washington, D.C. - station4dc.com

Thunder Burger & Bar (American)
Washington, D.C. - thunderburger.com

Tonic Mt. Pleasant (American)
Washington, D.C. - tonicrestaurant.com

Tonic at Quigleys (American)
Washington, D.C. - tonicrestaurant.com

Zengo (Latin-Asian)
Washington, D.C. - richardsandoval.com/zengodc/

The White House illuminated in pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month on October 1, 2012.  I wish I would have seen this!

12 Cancer-Fighting Superfoods

Tomatoes

Watermelon

Cabbage

Carrots

Whole Wheat Pasta

Beans

Broccoli

Peppers

Dried Apricots

Sunflower Seeds

Blueberries

Strawberries

References:   Better Homes & Gardens,  Wikipedia, and Pink Jams!    

Philadelphia Roll

Why do three day weekends always make me wish I took more vacations?  This three day weekend was no exception.  It was wine, wine and more wine!

On Friday, my awesome friends, Maggie and Justin invited Brendan and I over to taste wine on this Wine Tasting/Mixing Kit by Winemaker's!

Maggie and her nifty wine kit.

Then on Saturday, Brendan and I went to the Mt. Vernon Wine Festival with a fun group.  It is beautiful there!

And on Sunday Funday, I got to celebrate Mel's 40th b-day on a limo wine tour and it was FABULOUS (as is she).

What a nice weekend!

So, to get myself back on track and to detox from all of the wine, I decided to make sushi!  It's fresh and it's not as intimidating as it looks.  Just remember; cut up the vegetables and fish in very small pieces, or the roll will come out looking like the gigantic log.  Plus, it helps if someone can teach you how to make the roll versus trying to follow directions.  Thank you, Michael!!!! Or if you can't find a teacher, try looking up a video tutorial on Youtube. 

So here is one of my fav's, the Philadelphia Roll!

It is that good!

Servings:  2

Serving size- 1 roll

Calories:  393.15
Fat:  9.25 g   

Carbs:  60.15 g
Fiber:  4.4   g 

Protein:  14.65 g 

Points:  8 

Recipe:

1 8 oz. package of smoked salmon (we will use 4 oz)

2 Tbsp of neufchatel cream cheese

1 avocado
1 medium cucumber

1 package of sushi nori seaweed sheets (package of 10, but we will use 2 sheets)

3/4 cup Nishiki sushi rice

1/2 Tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar

sugar

sushi mat

wasabi (optional)
Kikkoman's Less Sodium Soy Sauce or GF Soy Sauce

1.  First, measure out the rice and place it in the rice cooker bowl.  Take the bowl out of the rice cooker and proceed to rinse the rice off in the sink.  Place the lid over the bowl to drain the water out. Then, add 3/4 cup of water to the rice.  Place the rice back in the cooker and set to cook.  The rice should cook for 15-20 minutes.

2.  Then, cut up the avocado, cucumber, salmon, and cream cheese into thin strips.

3.  Once the rice cooker timer has gone off, take off the lid and add the seasoned rice vinegar and a sprinkle of sugar to the rice.  Mix it together with the rice cooker spoon.

4.  Get out a flat cutting board and place the sushi mat on top.  Place one of the seaweed sheets on top of the mat so that the rough end is facing up.  Then, scrape out small spoonfuls of the rice and spread half of the rice evenly on the sheet.

5.  At the bottom of the sheet, place the 1 Tbsp. of the cream cheese.  Then place thin strips of cucumber, avocado, and salmon on top. Proceed to tightly roll the bottom of the roll towards the top.  Don't worry about using the mat to roll the seaweed.  Just focus on tightly rolling the seaweed mat itself. 

6.  Once it is rolled, cut the rolls with a sharp knife into 1/2 inch pieces.

That's about it!  You'll never want to buy sushi from the store again!  And practice makes perfect. Your rolls will be looking professional in no time!

P.S.  I usually eat two rolls because one roll doesn't quite cut it. 

Another bonus is you'll have plenty of leftover salmon, avocado, and cucumber to make more rolls for your next meal.  All you have to do is cook more rice and you'll be set.

Jamaican Jerk Chicken

Yah, mon.

I just got back from Jamaica and it's one of those countries that's so welcoming and inviting.  And so is their food.  Imagine a whole chicken cooked in a crock pot all day long in allspice, garlic, onion, pepper, lime juice, nutmeg and various other spices.  The aroma is wonderful and mouth-watering.  It's also very easy and quite healthy.  No wonder Jamaicans have such a great physique.  Also, once the chicken is done cooking, it falls off of the bone and can be served over rice or can be made into sandwiches.  I made mine with jasmine rice and sweet Hawaiian rolls.  

YUM.

Servings:  6

Serving size- 1/2 cup of chicken 
Calories:  216
Fat:  15 g   

Carbs:  7.5 g
Fiber:  .74   g 

Protein:  13.35 g 

Points:  6 

Recipe:

1 whole chicken
4 green onions, sliced
1 small onion, chopped
1 head garlic, minced
2 fresh scotch bonnet peppers
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp soy sauce (or GF soy sauce substitute)
1 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp allspice
1 tsp fresh thyme
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp ginger powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon

1.  Place prepared green onions, onion, garlic, and cayenne/scotch bonnet peppers in a food processor.  Process until minced.

2.  Combine remaining liquid ingredients and seasonings (from white vinegar to ginger) in a bowl.  Stir well.  Stir in minced vegetables.

3.  Spread a few tablespoons of the sauce mixture in the bottom of the crock pot.  Add the chicken and pour the remaining sauce mix over the chicken.  Cook on high for 4-6 hours.

4.  Remove the chicken from the crock pot, shred and de-bone.  Serve cooked mixture over the top of the chicken.

The resort we stayed out, The Lady Hamilton Palladium.  Gorgeous!

Jamaican entertainers at the resort.

The sunset in Negril, Jamaica at Rick's Cafe.

Courtesy of As Good As Gluten



Jamaican Rum Punch

Rum Punch is so fruity and smooth that it trumps any lame fruity-mixed drinks made at the bar from mostly artificial sweeteners. 

Also, when it's made with really good rum, it tastes even better.  I've researched many rum punch recipes and this one looks and tastes golden. 

Doesn't that put a smile to your face?  Take a couple of sips and you'll be smiling in no time. 

Servings:  8

Serving size- 1 cup of wine 
Calories:  365.1
Fat:  1 g   

Carbs:  30.5 g
Fiber:  0   g 

Protein:  9.25 g 

Points:  4 

Recipe:

1 cup Bacardi Gold Rum or Appleton Rum
1/2 cup Myer's dark rum
1/4 cup Malibu coconut rum
2 1/2 cups pineapple juice
2 1/2 cups orange juice
1/4 cup lime juice
3 tbsp grenadine syrup
ice cubes
orange

1.  Mix all of the ingredients together in a large pitcher or punch bowl.
2.  Cut up an orange in thick slices and use it as a garnish.
3.  This recipe is good for up to two weeks in the refrigerator.  

Courtesy of Drinks Mixer