I am Lazy: A Love Story

I LOVE my crock pot. Many people look down on crock pot users as cheater cooks, but honestly, there is nothing like coming home to your crock pot filled with a warm meal ready to eat after a long day of work or school. The only thing in my opinion that could make the experience better is by having someone magically clean my house while I was out as well. Until someone creates a complete housewife device to do all my chores, I am going to stay dedicated to the next best thing, my crock pot.

A couple of weeks ago when it was extremely cold outside(40’s at night…BURR!), I was craving a hearty meal that wouldn’t make me hearty as well and me being lazy, wanted to make something that I could make on a Friday night and then eat off for the rest of the weekend. Who wants to cook on the weekends??? Therefore, I decided that a pork tenderloin (don’t let the word “pork” scare you as pork tenderloin is surprisingly lean) in the crock pot would be the easiest way to make a large meal that would stay ,moist even when reheated. It being fall, most of the websites that I stalked for inspiration had pork-cranberry combinations which I was itching to try. My only problem with the recipes that I saw was the fact that in the morning, I would have to either ser the meat or cook parts of the meal for a certain time and then add the remaining ingredients. If you ask me, these are not crock pot meals! Don’t the authors of the recipes know that I am lazy in the mornings?

Since I didn’t find a recipe that completely eliminated the prep time in the morning, I created my own version to meet my individual need, aka wanting the luxury in the morning of hit my snooze button a few times and get an extra few z’s. After all, I did work hard during the week and deserved it. To make my recipe, I did all the chopping and mixing at night and then threw all the ingredients in the crock pot before leaving for work. Coming home that night with my meal complete was the best ending to a long week that I could have asked for. This is, besides having someone standing at the door with a big glass of red wine for me. Oh how I hate having to open a bottle of wine for myself….

This week I have returned to school to receive a MS in Management at the University of Florida and have already settled into the role of “lazy college student” comfortably and therefore I am making this post extremely short. For my final remarks, I would like to declare to the world that I am in love with my crock pot and am thankful to have it in my life.

Apple, Onion, and Cranberry Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients

• 1 pork loin
• 1 ½ whole apples, cubed
• 1 whole medium onions, sliced
• ¼ – ½ cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 package Lipton Onion Soup and Dip mix
• Rosemary
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 3 Tbsp. reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• ¼ cup cranberry juice

Directions:

Spray slow cooker with canola cooking spray. Place apples, onions, and dried cranberries in bottom of slow cooker (I do all chopping the night before and just put pot in fridge). Sprinkle with Onion Soup and Dip mix. Rub the pork tenderloin with salt, pepper, and rosemary. Place tenderloin in slow cooker on top of apple, onion, and cranberries. In a bowl or croquet, combine white wine, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, cranberry juice, and Dijon mustard until thoroughly mixed (this can be done the night before as well). Pour liquid mixture over tenderloin in slow cooker. Cover slow cooker and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.

Simply Southern’s Kitchen Redoes Zoe’s Kitchen

Zoe’s Kitchen is one of my favorite places to go to for a quick, healthy bite to eat. Zoe’s means “life” in Greek and I must say that my life has forever been changed since discovering Zoe’s as I have been obsessed with it ever since (I could eat it anytime of the day and still never get sick of it). I love Zoe’s so much that I have searched the internet for hours on end until I found a recipe from allrecipes.com that is similar to Zoe’s cole slaw which comes topped onto my favorite sandwich the Gruben (grilled turkey, swiss, slaw, spicy mustard, and rye: all grilled to perfection). I added to this recipe more Italian seasoning, reduced the oil, and used red wine vinegar to make it more Zoe’s-like. Since discovering this recipe, I have made this slaw as a side for shrimp boils and barbeques and am amazed how many compliments I received from it which I never can hear too often. (See my modified recipe below)

While I am constantly trying to emulate Zoe’s cooking style and recipes, here is where I must commit blasphemy: I am EXTREMELY disappointed in Zoe’s, because of their chicken salad (their most popular menu item I might add). Just to type those words make me cringe, but someone has to call out Zoe’s for the high calorie count on their chicken salad  which is 700 calories for a chicken salad sandwich alone which leads me to believe that mayo is the main ingredient (and not chicken). Don’t get me wrong, their chicken salad is moist and every bit delicious, but it doesn’t necessarily fall under the “healthy” persona that Zoe’s claims to have and falls directly into the category of salads to avoid I mention in my “All Salads Are Not Created Equal” post.

It is with this knowledge of the dangers of chicken salad that I went on the hunt for a chicken salad that would satisfy my Zoe’s chicken salad cravings (lets face it, I never am truly satisfied and keep going back for more), but wouldn’t hinder my healthy-eating life style. My goal was to find a recipe with 3 main components:

1. substitutes Greek yogurt for mayo
2. Uses cranberries instead of raisins, because I prefer the tartness of cranberries over the sweetness of raisins
3. Uses pecans (seeing them in Publix over the holidays gave me a craving for pecans as well)

The closest recipe that I found to pass my 3 requirements was Plum Pie‘s Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad, but I decided to tweak the recipe and preparation a bit for my own liking. After making and scrapping the bowl of my chicken salad, I vow to never eat mayo soaked chicken salad again. Normally sequels are never as good as the original (calling The Hangover II out), but after trying this new twist on chicken salad I can promise that the original chicken salad recipe will be long forgotten and you will want to have the new recipe on repeat (even if you aren’t as strange as me and like to eat the same thing over and over again). It is tart, tangy, sweet, moist, scrumptious, delicious, and every adjective you can think of that relates to amazing food.

Okay, so here is my challenge, try to take your favorite foods from restaurants and get creative by making them healthy at home. In my personal (and bias) opinion, Emily has out done and out shined Zoe’s.

Simply Southern’s Zoe’s Cole Slaw

Ingredients:

• 2(8 & 1/2 oz bags) angel hair cole slaw
• green onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 large garlic clove, minced
• 1 and 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 1 package Italian seasoning
• 8 oz Feta Cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 cup water

Directions:

• Mix together cabbage, onions, and feta cheese. Whisk together remaining ingredients. While tossing cabbage mixture, lightly drizzle with dressing. Cover and chill for 15 minutes prior to serving. Store remaining dressing in air tight container in the fridge for future use.

 CranApple Pecan Chicken Salad

Ingredients

• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1/2 granny smith apple, diced into small chunks
• 1/4 cup toasted pecans, chopped
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped
• 1.5 tablespoons shallot, chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/3 cup greek yogurt, I like to use Chobani 0% Plain
• 1 tablespoons light mayo
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
• 1 tbsp dried rosemary
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rub chicken breasts with olive oil, fresh rosemary, and season with salt and pepper. Bake chicken for 35 to 40 minutes until cooked thoroughly. Place chicken on a dish and allow to cool completely. Shred chicken once it has completely cooled.
• In a large bowl, mix together chicken, apple, pecans, cranberries, and shallots.
• In a separate mixing bowl, combine Greek yogurt, mayo, apple cider vinegar, and dried rosemary. Top chicken mixture with dressing and toss. If needed, season with salt and pepper to taste. Chill for one hour.

All Salads Are Not Created Equal

Many women and men alike go for a salad at a restaurant thinking that they are selecting one of the healthiest items on the menu. While salads in theory are nutritious as much as delicious, several restaurants/businesses have over done themselves with adding on too many fatty ingredients to the salad and then drenching them with even worse for you dressings. While I have been there myself, opting for the fried chicken salad at the Loop on several occasions, it is important to remember that the word salad is not synonymous with getting your skinny jeans to fit. If you take a look at IHOP’s Chicken and Spinach Salad (seriously though, who orders a salad at IHOP when there are so many hangover curing options???), Eat This, Not That reports that there are 1,600 calories alone in the salad. The spinach leaves can barely hold up the over load of fried chicken, bacon, and cheese!

With these unknown land mines of salads hidden in practically every restaurant menu in America, it is important to be as conscious as possible about what you are ordering and how you are eating. Below are some salad eating tips at restaurants that I find very helpful:

1. Never order anything fried
2. Potato, tuna, chicken, and egg salad are NOT at all salads, so avoid them
3. Substitute croutons (this includes noodles for Asian themed salads) for nuts
4. Skimp on the cheeses
5. Never pour the dressing on the salad, dip your fork into it (my #1 faux pas)
6. Request low-fat, oil and vinegar, or vinaigrette salad dressings if possible
7. Request darker lettuces or spinach over iceberg lettuce
8. Load up on vegetables
9. Get proteins that are lean, such as chicken, pork tenderloin, or fish
10. If your salad comes in a shell (such as a tortilla shell) request for it to come in a bowl instead

While I do enjoy my fresh salad delivered straight to my table with a glass of wine at a restaurant, that doesn’t stop me from creating my own salads at home. This last summer, my friend Paige was home for the weekend and with both of us being extremely broke, we decided to catch up by making dinner at my house and renting a movie. Cooking dinner for two is always a challenge, but adding the fact that we both wanted something healthy made it practically impossible.

Luckily for me, Paige mentioned making a salad and using her family’s salad dressing recipe. At this point in my life, I had become (almost too) obsessed with making my own dressings and avoiding foods that where high in fat and sugars. Salad dressings that you buy in the store had become my enemies and I was determined to conquer them, so adding one more salad dressing recipe to my recipe box was always welcome.

With what I had at my house and what Paige brought from home, we had to buy only a few items at Publix. After making our salads (recipe below), I become obsessed with the salad dressing and started to make mass quantities of it and storing it in a croquet. The dressing is so simple to make, but has a flavorful punch that after months of eating salads with it, I’m still not sick of it. I have made it as a large salad using it for large family events and as a small salad as a side with my dinner. Either way, people are constantly are harassing me to share the recipe (which of course, I do). After all, the best recipes are worth sharing and that is what my site is all about. I hope that you enjoy the dressing as much as I do and can take the two salad options that I’m also sharing as spring-board for your own salad creates. Therefore, enjoy and eat up!

Miller Family Salad Dressing

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2/3 cup rice vinegar
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp garlic, minced

Directions:

Whisk ingredients together. Store in croquet in fridge until use.

Summer Salad

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sliced turkey breast
• 1/2 apple, cored and sliced
• 2 cups bagged spinach leaves
• 6 large strawberries, sliced
• 1/4 cup canned mandarin oranges, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup feta cheese
• 1/4 cup blueberries
• 1/4 cup Emerald Cinnamon Almonds, crushed
• 2 tbsp “Miller Family Salad Dressing”

Directions:

In a large bowl, place all ingredients, except salad dressing, cheese, and almonds. Drizzle remaining ingredients over salad last (this will allow you to have the most control over the portions of what can make a healthy salad a heart attach on a plate) and toss with salad claws/tongs.

Note: Any fruits/ veggies can be substituted!

Cobb Salad

• 2 cups bagged spinach
• 2-4 hard boiled eggs
• 1/2 – 1 sliced ugly tomato, cubed
• 1/4 cucumber, sliced
• 1/4 cup goat cheese
• 2 tbsp “Miller Family Salad Dressing”

Directions:

In a large bowl, place all ingredients. Drizzle salad dressing over salad last and toss with salad claws/tongs.

Note: Any fruits/ veggies can be substituted!

How to Hard Boil the PERFECT Egg

Many of people know how to fry fish, bake cookies, or steam shrimp (which if you ask me can all be complicated matters on their own), but the concept of boiling an egg can throw off even the most experienced cook. You sit there watching a pot, waiting for it to boil, and then gues-timate whether the egg is thoroughly cooked. It’s not until the egg is cooled, shelled, and sliced into that you will know if all your hard work has paid off and whether or not the egg is cooked properly. Your egg can go into two extreme categories: the yoke is still runny or the yoke is overcooked and is a greenish/grayish color (YUCK!). I’m don’t know which one is worse, but both can be the making or breaking of a good recipe. Luckily, I have done several practice runs and have come up with the perfect method of hard boiling the PREFECT egg. Follow my step-by-step instructions and you will have hard boiled eggs set to serve the queen (or Prince Harry which I would enjoy more). Pay attention, because you don’t want to miss anything….it is all very scientific.

How to Hard Boil an Egg:

1)      Pick the eggs in your fridge that are older (please throw oldest away…Double gross)

*TIP: Older eggs are better for boiling, younger eggs are better for frying

2)      Place your eggs in a deep, but small in circumference pot

*This will prevent your eggs from jumping around too much and reduce risk of the shell breaking

3)      Fill pot with cold water 1-inch above the eggs

4)      Add dash of salt and a splash of vinegar to the pot

*the salt helps stabilize the heat of the water and the vinegar will soften the shell allowing for easier peeling

5)      Put the pot on the stove

6)      Turn the burner on high/medium-high

7)      Watch the pot…(I told you it was going to be scientific)

8)      Once to pot comes to a roaring boil, turn the burner’s heat down to low/low-medium where the water is simmering

9)      Set a timer for 10 minutes (not a minute more or a minute less)

10)  Once the timer goes off remover the pot from the stove and ladle out the eggs

11)  Place the eggs in an ice bath

*This will stop the cooking process of the eggs and the yoke/whites will shrink allowing for even easier peeling

12)  Peel the eggs

13)  Slice the eggs and see the fruits of your labor!

 With your perfectly boiled eggs you can create many of dishes, but some of my favorites include: deviled eggs, egg salad, cob salad, or plain with salt and pepper to taste.