Guilt free fried chicken

As we are making New Year’s resolutions and a lot of them involve losing weight, I wanted to share with you a healthier recipe version of fried chicken. I like to call it guilt free fried chicken. In full disclosure, I changed the end of Alton Brown’s Food Network recipe to not frying, but broiling my yummy buttermilk, spiced and soaked drumsticks.

Yum my mouth is watering.

Not sure if I’ve mentioned this to you before, but Honey is addicted to Alton Brown of the Food Network. We have some of his cookbooks and tools. I, on the other hand, fell in love with Giada De Laurentis. Who hasn't? Well Alton Brown's recipe for chicken spice is amazing and will have you licking your lips for more.

You will need

2 cups low fat buttermilk
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 broiler and chicken drumsticks
A lot of napkins

Directions

Combine paprika, garlic powder, salt and cayenne pepper in a bowl. Place chicken drumsticks on top of some tin foil and sprinkle heavily with chicken spice mixture. Drumsticks will have a reddish-orange color to them. Next place your drumsticks into a plastic Ziploc bag and cover them completely with the low fat buttermilk. For best results refrigerate overnight.

The next day cover the bottom tray of your broiler with tin foil (so it can collect the juices) and turn on your broiler. Remove your buttermilk soaked and spiced drumsticks from the Ziploc bag and carefully place them on top of the tin foil.

Cook chicken until golden brown or burnt on each side, approximately 10 minutes per side. Be sure to pick up your drumsticks with tongs and add a vegetable dish on the side. Once the broiler has cooled, you can carefully fold up the tin foil with the chicken juices and throw away. Now your broiler should be easy to clean up.

And enjoy this yummy chicken recipe without the guilt of frying. Do you have recipe ideas that you can change to meet your New Year’s resolution? Half the fat, but still tastes great... let me know sweetie.

Easy health care in America?

I remember the orthopedic surgeon asking me, “How easy will it be for you to take a break from your life? Because I believe, you will need major knee surgery.” Little did we know that the one knee surgery was the first of three, which turned this ballet dancer into an expert on crutches. My five month knee recovery combined with the battle with my health care company, left me shaken. Being able to have the health care system work for me would have aided me in my recovery. I learned so much from that injury. In fact my life changed. (Click here to read about how Honey helped me recover).

And then my Canadian Grandmother/Nana told me how easy her eye surgery went. I know not every health care story is like this one, but don't you wish they could be?

About 10 years ago, Nana had cataract surgery. Last week she went in for her annual eye check up and had her daughter go with her. The doctor took one look at my Nana's eye and asked her if her right eye was still a little blurry. Nana replied that it was, but at her age why take care of it?

The doctor told her that he could take care of her eye for you, immediately. Nana thought about it and she answered, "Sure, why not?"

And this is the part that amazed me…right then and there; the eye doctor asked my Nana

and Aunt to come back into the office. Nana walked in, sat down and before she had time to get scared the doctor started to prepare the eye machines. Nana exclaimed wait, "I haven’t even taken off my coat?

And then he fixed her eye. No paperwork or waiting for an appointment.

Could this happen in America? On a same day appointment a doctor walks you into the back office and fixes your ailment immediately. This also reminds me of when I saw the movie Sicko by Michael Moore and felt challenged by the questions he asked about the America health care system.

Growing up as a Canadian, I never had to wonder if I could see a doctor or a dentist. I could walk right in. Am I weighing in on the American health care debate? Well yes, but don't you think our system and society could be easier? Would love to know your thoughts....

Chicken with eggplant recipe

How many times have you been told to eat more vegetables? Well, try this chicken with eggplant recipe for a healthy dinner option. Some of the vegetable advice I've been given, is to try to incorporate as many colors onto my plate as possible. This is great advice, but what can you cook that is healthy and tastes great when you have very little time? Make this eggplant recipe and you won't be disappointed. Trust me, I just made this for dinner.... (I used this recipe and added some of my own twists).

You will need

2 large eggplants and cut them lengthwise into small bite size slices
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into small bite size pieces
1/2 chopped onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 gloves of garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 Roma tomatoes
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon of oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
Basil leaves to garnish
* Add chili flakes for some spice

This recipe will make 3 servings

Directions

Place eggplant pieces into a big pot of lightly salted water and soak for 30 mins. Set aside. Hint: The eggplant will soak up the salted water and retain the flavor.

Next remove eggplant from pot and brush with olive oil. Saute eggplant until browned and place in a small oven safe dish. Set to the side. Next, saute chicken and onion in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in tomato paste, garlic and water, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 mins.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pour chicken/tomato mixture over eggplant. Add Roma tomato slices, season with oregano, salt and pepper and cover. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 mins.

After you remove the dish, add basil to garnish and enjoy. This chicken with eggplant recipe is hearty and healthy. I love serving this dish with a side of garlic bread. I hope you like this recipe. So, what are you going to make for dinner tonight? Click here for more delicious recipes.

The divine oatmeal cookie recipe

Is the way to a man's heart through his stomach? You might know the answer, after you've make him this divine oatmeal cookie recipe for your beau. My Auntie C has made these cookies for me for years. I love the raisins with the white chocolate chips. These comfort food oatmeal cookies are best eaten slightly warm. What cookies do you love to cook?

What you’ll need:

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups oats
1 cup raisins
1 cup white chocolate chips


Directions:

First heat your oven to 350°F. Then in a medium mixing bowl, stir together the butter and sugars until creamy. Next add the eggs and vanilla, mix until blended, scrape or lick the bowl.
Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Add dry ingredients to the above mixture and mix well. Scoop out batter onto a paper lined baking tray approximately 1 inch apart. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Let cookies cool and enjoy!

Mahi Mahi beachside treat from your kitchen

This Mahi Mahi beachside recipe is easy to make without a BBQ or even a backyard. Living in San Francisco, I have a sliver of a backyard so I've had to improvise. Instead of grilling, I broil the fish. I hope you enjoy cooking this light and healthy meal.

Lately, fish has become a bigger part of my diet (my diet use to consist of chicken and only chicken). Please remember that Mahi Mahi can be unhealthy so try to make sure its wild. I found the Kirkland signature wild Pacific Mahi Mahi from Costco. I really like this type of fish because it has a meatier texture, the smell isn’t as fishy and it has a wonderful taste after you marinade it.

What you will need:

2 filets of 4 oz wild Mahi Mahi
¼ cup of chopped pineapple
1/2 a small chopped mango or nectarine
2 limes
1 orange
¼ cup of Lawry’s tequila lime marinade (or you can use 1/4 cup of tequila if you have it)
¼ cup small onion
2 tablespoons olive oil

¼ cup of fresh mint
Salt and pepper

Chopped cilantro for garnish

Directions:

In a ziplock bag, mix the tequila lime marinade (or tequila) with one of the limes, the orange and onion. Sprinkle the filet’s on both sides with salt and pepper and then put the fish into the ziplock bag. Let the fish sit in the marinade for at least two hours in the fridge.

Next preheat your broiler to high. Brush or drizzle the olive oil on the fish. Place fish filets on the broiler sheet, and broil, turning them once with a spatula, until the filets are golden on the outside, about 4-6 minutes per side.

Top the fish with pineapple and mango, garnished with the cilantro, mint and last slice of lime. Pair your fish with some rice and pour yourself a glass of chardonnay. I hope you enjoy cooking this Mahi Mahi recipe! You can share with me your recipes at shhh.under.the.sheets@gmail.com.

Chocolate addicts unite

Has the following ever happened to you? You’re looking over the dinner menu at a restaurant and your eyes skim right over the entrées and skip to the dessert section. When the waitress comes to take your order, all you want to do is skip dinner and eat dessert. Words like chocolate mousse, tiramisu and chocolate flourless cake all swirl in your head. Your waitress tells you about the dinner specials and although you’re hungry, your mind keeps wandering back to the treats on the dessert menu. Guilty! Party of one – yours truly. (Check out this chocolate interview post!)

Sometimes, I’ll think of the dessert that I want and make sure that my earlier courses are light enough. So for example, if I want a sundae then I’ll order salmon instead of the fettuccini alfredo. Does this make me a chocoholic?

My friends also seem to know about my chocolate addiction, as my girlfriend just gave me the gift of ‘Emergency chocolate’ from Bloomsberry & Co. (a self described ‘happy designer chocolate company’). ‘Think Chocolate’ is their company motto. They create wrappers on the bars of their chocolate that say:

‘For immediate relief of: Chocolate cravings, lovesickness, exam pressure, mild anxiety and extreme hunger.

Directions for use: Tear open wrappers, break off desired dosage, and consume. Alternatively massage into the affected area. Repeat dosage as required until finished. If symptoms persist consult your local confectioner.’

On top of it all we, chocoholics, shouldn’t feel bad, as reports say ‘eating a piece of dark chocolate can have daily health benefits.’ The good news is chocolate can be ‘heart healthy.’ In the article Health Benefits of Chocolate, it states, “Chocolate has flavonoids, which act as antioxidants. Antioxidants protect the body from aging caused by free radicals, which can cause damage that leads to heart disease.” Though my bubble burst a little when I read that milk and white chocolate cannot make the same health claims. Experts suggest that we should eat chocolate within moderation (while continuing to eat nutritiously and exercise regularly).

And once the emergency chocolate hit my lips, I knew that all would be right in the world. Have you ever had dessert first?

Can taking a daily vitamin be bad for your health?

Yes, they can be bad for your health! According to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, vitamins in high doses can affect your health. I am shocked to hear the news. My entire life, I have been taking vitamins and vitamin supplements. It wasn’t until recently that I sat with a nutritionist friend of mine to discover what foods I should be eating more of and foods I should avoid. I thought a vitamin would also help correct my poor eating habits. Didn’t drink enough milk? Take some calcium.

In the article, ‘Are too many vitamins bad for your health?’ it stated, “The information that large doses of some vitamins can be harmful is not new. When taken in excess, the fat-soluble vitamins -- vitamins A, D, E and K -- are stored in body fat tissues. This can lead to toxic buildup in the liver, brain and heart.”

This was news to me!

I have always been a dancer. Only recently, though, have I become a “foodie,” “an aspiring cook,” -- you get my drift… Before my revelation that food was an art unto its self, I would pay little attention to my food choices. Carbs and chocolate would call to me in the night. I tried ‘balancing’ it all by taking a daily vitamin. In fact, I took those suckers like candy. I had read that taking certain vitamins could help with fatigue, headaches and yes the dreaded PMS. I even frequently suggested ‘resting, drinking more water and taking a daily vitamin,’ to friends who were suffering various ailments.

After visiting my nutritionist, I corrected some of my poorer eating habits – chocolate is always a welcome treat. She introduced me to the site, ‘Fitnesspal.com.’ For the past 3 months, I have been actively tracking my foods and working out. But even during the past three months, I took vitamins as part of my daily routine.

So how should we get all the vitamins we need?

The doctor on the show told the viewers that ‘Nothing can replace a diet of vegetables and fruits and the wrong dosage of a vitamin can actually be damaging to your health.’ The only vitamin that he recommended we all need to take more of is vitamin D. Why you may ask? Since we are all taking better care of our skin and wearing sunscreen daily our bodies are not getting enough sun, which naturally soaks in vitamin D.

There’s plenty of great information around on healthy eating. I recommend this one; it covers the 29 healthiest foods on our planet. What are your thoughts on vitamins being “bad” for you? Are you as shocked as I am? What other sites, references would you recommend?