From Healthy to Unhealthy in 5 minutes....... ¡Que Lastima!

I find it amazing that people say they're eating healthy, but they don't know what healthy is!! I mean it REALLY burns me up!!!!! And also, how can you watch your weight if you don't weigh yourself? What appears to be is not always what it is!!

But let me get back into this healthy subject. I'll even give you an example, lol. Firstly, raise your hands if you eat greens. Ok, keep your hands up if you think greens are healthy. I see. Moving right along. Keep your hands up if you put pork fat into your greens......... Now this is a damn shame. So you're trying to tell me that greens with pork FAT is healthy? (Sideways look with one eye bigger than the other and eyebrow raised) People, people, what are you thinking? Pork fat never makes anything healthier, it unhealthifies the ENTIRE dish.... in less than 5 mins. One minute you're boiling the water with a few seasonings for the greens (healthy), and then here you go adding that SWINE in there (unhealthy) and now your greens are no longer a healthy vegetable.

Please understand the previous paragraph. Read it over and over until you understand that you are NOT doing a smart thing. When you've got that, then you may continue reading.

Why do we do this to ourselves? Why do we like to slowly kill ourselves? I have no clue, but I have stopped that trend. You can cook greens in low sodium chicken or beef stock and get just as much flavor as if you put the nasty fat in it. Trust.

Other items people seem to take from healthy to unhealthy in less than 5 minutes include, rice, pretty much ALL vegetables....smh, soups, almost everything. We should learn to accept that things are healthy and that's the way they are meant to be. Take pride in your food AND your body.

Most people don't realize this, but you can work out all you want, but if you don't EAT right, you're simply wasting time at the gym. You won't look the way you imagine.

I would like each and every person reading this blog to take a pledge to healthier cooking! Cut out the fats, the salt, the unhealthy cooking methods (yep, no more deep frying for you!!), etc. It is indeed hard to do, but nothing worth doing is easy. Think about it.

Random: So lately I have been just unfortunate. I fell down the steps to my house and hit everything imaginable EXCEPT my head... The next morning is when the soreness kicked it. The big open wounds on both of my elbows hurt like heck (did you realize how much you use your elbow daily? Sucks!!) , my back is killing me, and so on. To top it off, just recently my neck starting to give me sharp pains EVERY time I friggin moved!! Can't wait to go home and get a checkup. These injuries got me messed up!!

I am super excited that I will be leaving to go to my hometown soon for Christmas!!! I miss my family sooo much. Yea I got homesick, so what, lol. I'm ready for gifts, presents, money, and donations, lmao. Kind of nervous to see how I will keep my new eating habits though. Trent and I are both nervous, but I said I would cook our meals to stay on the healthy side and maybe a LITTLE cheating on Christmas Day, but that's it.

People please don't gain weight over the holidays #NotCool.

P.S. Check out my sister, Dominique Payne's "Dance With Me"  Studio. Visit the Facebook page and sign up for a flyer with classes and sign up!!! The studio is located in Memphis, TN (Southaven, MS, technically, but people still consider it Memphis, lol). Get dancing, shaking, and grooving!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fresh Sea Scallops and Tiger Woods

So let me get this random side note out. It's about Tiger Woods and his siblings. Yes yall, Tiger Woods has siblings. 2 half brothers and 1 half sister, I think. So not too long ago, Tiger's oldest brother was on CNN talking about how they miss him and just want to talk to him and update him on what has been going on in the family.............. (blank stare, pointing at face, lol) Know we ALL know that as soon as someone in the family makes it big, other family member come out the woodworks and all of a sudden want to mend broken bridges and try to pull publicity stunts so they can try to make some money off of it, and all other strange things. I say leave Tiger alone, AND don't be blasting family business for the world to see. #ThatisAll

Alrighty know that that is out of my system let's talk about some food :) Trent bought me a Spice Rack for Christmas. Of course I couldn't wait to use it so I set it up and got to work cooking that night. Tonight I decided to use the spices to create a crust for some Sea Scallops I bought.

First when working with scallops you want to pat them dry. You won't get a good crust unless the excess water is patted off. Secondly you want to make sure they don't smell fishy. Most times there is a little extra flap of skin, pull that off, it will be tough if not, when you cook it, so stop being hard headed and take it off. Now you're ready to season. I blended a few dry herbs and spices together (Dry basil, lemon pepper seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, Italian seasoning, parsley flakes) and crusted it on the tops and bottoms of the scallops. I pan seared them in olive oil on Medium-High heat for 3 minutes on each side....... DELICIOUS. I have not tasted scallops more better cooked than my own. I feel very accomplished. I served it up with some linguine tossed in my homemade tomato sauce, which is posted on my blog somewhere, lol. (picture of this dish on facebook, mobile uploads)

I feel like I'm becoming a better chef. When I take on new challenges and succeed, or fail, I learn and it makes me better overall. (So whatever you're doing in life, stay motivated, even when you fall short, at least you'll be better prepared next time :))

Right now Trent (For my new followers, Trent is my boyfriend, the love of my life, lol) is going ham on this shooting game called Army of Two:40th Day. I've gotten pretty good. Lol. I just snipe people. Something about running, aiming, and shooting does not work properly with me, so I sit still and shoot, lol. Playing this game after drinking is super fun too!!

Recently I realized what was in the drink, Amaretto Sour. I  can't believe I never knew, lol, but it is simply Amaretto and Sour Mix. I find that the drink is quite sweet though, but it is a great "Baby" drink for first timers. In a small glass cup with ice, add 1 part Amaretto to 4 parts Sour Mix.

Another great drink that Trent likes is Ciroc Berry with Cranberry. Now he likes his drinks a little stronger than I do, but to each is own. You can use the 4 to 1 ratio with this drink as well. 4 parts Cranberry to 1 part Ciroc. And by the way, my new name for Ciroc and Lemonade is "Cirocalade". I'm gonna call P.Diddy up and see what he thinks about that, lol. Kinda catchy don't ya think? lol.

I'm making Gumbo again for Trent's lunch for the week, but this time I'm being a little more health conscious and taking OUT the Chorizo. It is very high in fat. So to replace that, I'm adding chicken and oysters. :) Feel free to make substitutions as you see fit. Only YOU know what YOU like :)

I think that's all for tonight folks. I'm about to get in on this game and go HAM!!

P.S. Shout out to Pam. We worked together at Graceland. She want me to sign her up for the first copy of my cookbook, which is under construction!! That made my day :) Thanks for your support Pam :)

Throw away the jars!! Home made is better!!!

Today is Sunday and I'm doing what I do on this day every week...... cooking EVERYTHING is the refrigerator!! I cooked the usual, Salmon Cakes, Chicken Noodle Soup, and added some newbies to the mix.

I decided to make my own Red Pasta Sauce instead of using the jar of sauce. Now don't get me wrong, I absolutely love the Prego Meat Sauce and Classico, but the sodium is soo high and you know I'm trying to eat better.

So here's what I did. I used 1 can of NO SALT ADDED diced tomatoes and 1 can of stewed tomatoes. Both are the Great Value brand at Walmart, so everyone can find them easily.

1 tbsp EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
1 large onion chopped
2 large garlic cloves minced
1 can NO SALT ADDED diced Tomatoes
1 can Stewed tomatoes
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
2 cups water

Saute onion and garlic in the EVOO on medium-high heat for about 7 minutes.
Add cans of tomato and cook for another 10 mins.
Season with the Italian seasoning and add water. Cook for 20 mins on low heat.
Add the basil towards the end and save some as a garnish on top!!

I made the sauce and served it with a Chicken Pasta for lunch today, and Trent loved it. He went back for seconds, lol!!!

Random: So I can't wait to get home for Christmas! I want Nicki Minaj's "Pink Friday" album along with money and #thatisall lol.

P.S. Shout out to my wonderful family for following my blog, My mom, dad, sister, and Aunt Kristee!!!! Thanks for your support!!! Love you guys!!!!!

Cold Day equals............. GUMBO

Not too long ago I mad a huge pot of Gumbo and in just 2 short days, the contents of that pot magically disappeared. (I blame Trent, lol) I wanted to share my recipe with you just as a tasty option to have on a cold day. (This is a great dish for guys while they're watching Sunday night football, lol)

So because I love seafood, and so does Trent, I did a Seafood Gumbo. It reminds me of New Orleans and Emeril Lagasse for some reason.I jam packed it full of BOLD and EXCITING ingredients so I could have an overload of wonderful flavors going on. Here's what I put in it.......

1 pound Large Shrimp peeled and deveined (You really don't have to devein the shrimp. The vein will NOT kill you, lol)
1 package of Chorizo chopped to bite size pieces (Spanish Sausage. It's spicy and yummy!!)
1 can of baby clams, juice and all
3 stalks of celery diced
2 tbsp flour
2 tbsp Olive Oil
2 springs of Fresh Dill, Thyme, and Lemon Grass (Yea, I just got a little fancy on ya, but it tastes so good!! So hush up and buy it, lol.)
8 cups of Seafood Stock (You can make your own by boiling seafood shells and tid bits for about 4 hours in seasoned water. Cuts out the middle man, and is soooo cheap)
2 large onions diced
1 large green bell pepper diced
3 tbsp Gumbo File (A special gumbo seasoning that will give you that "gumbo" flavor. This is a must have!!)

Ok, so this is how it works..... Pay attention, it is sooo easy.

In a large pot, heat the Olive Oil to medium high. Add the celery, onions, and bell pepper. Saute until soft and colored. About 10 mins.

Add the flour and gumbo file. Mix in with the veggies. It should look really weird, lol.

Ok now, add in the seafood stock, fresh herbs, and bring to a rapid boil, and then keep it simmering for at least 15 minutes.

In a skillet, saute the chorizo for about 3 mins, then add it to the big pot simmering.

Add the shrimp into the big pot and turn off the heat. The shrimp will cook in about 3 mins.

Serve over rice and you've got yourself a winner!!!!

You Gotta Eat!!!!

Yesterday was a not soo good day because I didn't really eat a full meal ever. I don't know if you understand how terrible it is to go a whole day without eating properly, but it's NOT good. Take my word for it. Yea we all do it in college because we don't have much time in between class, studying, sleep, and partying, but in my adult life outside of school. eating right is a MUST!!


Depending on how old you are, how much you weigh, and how tall you are, there are a certain number of calories you should eat in order to maintain your weight. If you want to loose weight, then that will affect your calorie intake also. For example, I weigh 148 pounds (Yes I gave my true weight for the world to see!!, lol) and I am 5'5. But because I want to be at a smaller weight I need to eat around 1200-1600 calories a day. That can be broken down into 3 full meals a 2 snacks.

Just for verification and reiteration... YOU MUST EAT TO LOOSE WEIGHT. That's about 75 percent of battle. Pair that with a great workout and you'll loose the weight even faster.

But lets be honest..... who has time to eat that much throughout their day?!?!?!?! The answer is someone with a Personal Chef or someone who does not have many responsibilities. It is still hard for me to eat correctly due to my hectic schedule, so I pack snacks and grub on them every so often to keep my metabolism up, and so I can get my calories in.

A good way to make sure you get your calories in (and this is what I do) is to cook or plan your weekly meals in advance. I usually cook Trent's lunch, Chicken Noodle Soup, in a big batch so he can have at least a week's worth of servings. I also cook Salmon Cakes weekly because they are soo flexible. You can eat them by themselves, with a side salad, rice, or you can make it into a sandwich. I always make a spicy aioli to go with them. (Aioli: Mayonnaise flavored with garlic) I like to make mine spicy because I love the flavor of Siracha Sauce.

Listed below is my SALMON CAKE RECIPE with the SPICY AIOLI

1 can of Pink Salmon
1 can of Red Salmon
1 medium Onion diced  
1 orange Bell Pepper diced
1 large egg
1 large garlic clove diced
1/2 cup Bread Crumbs
2 tbsp Olive Oil

In a skillet, add the Olive Oil and heat to medium. Saute the garlic, bell pepper, and onions. About 10 mins.

Open the cans of Salmon and drain off excess liquid. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, mix the Salmon with the egg, bread crumbs and sauteed mixture.

There are small bones in canned Salmon, but they are EDIBLE. If you crush one with your finger, you'll see how soft they are. It is OK to eat them!!

Make 8 cakes out of the Salmon mixture.

Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray and add the cakes. Bake for 30 mins.

SIRACHA AIOLI

1 cup Mayo
1 tbsp Garlic Salt
1 tbsp Lemon Pepper Seasoning
1 tbsp Parsley finely chopped
2 tbsp Siracha Sauce

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl and serve as a dipping sauce for the Salmon Cakes. This sauce is also good as a sandwich spread!!!

I hope you learned a lot today and try out this recipe.

Random Thought: Why do BlackBerry Phones ALWAYS mess up!! My scroll thingy stopped working and NOW I can't even turn the damned phone on!! FML!!!!But on the bright side, I have old CRACKBERRIES on deck charging up anticipating their comeback, lol.

P.S. I added a link so you guys can figure out how many calories you're supposed to eat. The website is FREE. www.sparkpeople.com/

P.S.S. Shout out to my new follower, my best friend, Kayla!!!!!

Chicken Noodle Soup and LeBron James..... Good for the Soul

Quick side note. I'd like all the Cleaveland Fans to know that ALL of you are Haters for being mad at LeBron James because he left yall high and dry. He made a great career move and yall just SALTY!! Why don't you just encourage and uplift the players you have left.........smdh!!! Keep ya head up LeBron, I got you!!!

Sorry, lol. Had to get that out of my system, but.... on to the next one, lol.

So I was thinking last night about how I want to set the blog up. I prepared a list of future topics that I think you all will love and don't forget that you can comment and ask questions and I will make topics out of them so give input and I'll give you output :)

Yesterday I made my weekly Chicken Noodle Soup for Trent and instead of normally roasting a whole chicken, I decided to simply poach it. (Poach: To cook in boiling or simmering liquid) I also decided to take the skin off of the chicken, lol. It was really gross, in my opinion, yet fun to do.

It reminded me of taking off a coat or turning something inside out, lol. You got to try it one day, lol.

The reason I took off the skin is because the skin of any meat is where all the fat is. So by simply taking the skin off, I'm left with lean pieces of fresh chicken. More healthy, and more delicious. Another way to be healthy with Chicken Noodle Soup is to use Whole Wheat Noodles. They are high in FIBER and help regulate your digestive track.

So try a healthier option by using skinless chicken and whole wheat noodles and you'll feel better about eating such a big bowl!!

P.S. Shout out to my new followers, Lee and Christina!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for your support!!!!!!!!!

Last Night's Dinner

Throughout my life I have eaten some of the best Pot Roast known to mankind, my mom's, grandma's, best friend Kayla's, this restaurant with Pot Roast sandwiches, lol, but I have never cooked it myself.

Well I bought a 3 pound piece of beef at Walmart and decided that I would make Pot Roast. I called my friend, Kayla, and asked her how long to cook it, what temperature, etc(Yes, I still ask for cooking advice from others even though I'M the Chef, lol).

So I rub this big piece of meat with a little Olive Oil and seasonings, popped that meat in the oven on 325 degrees F, and let er rip, lol. I left it in for about 2 hours and them added some diced potatoes, carrots, bell pepper, and onion. I THOUGHT it would only take another 30 minutes and my food would magically be done and delicious..........WRONG!!! My potatoes were still raw and my carrots were still hard. So uncooked food plus hungry boyfriend equals I need to haul ass and get the food done asap, so I did what any chef would do, lol. I took out all the potatoes and carrots and got them into a pot on the stove with chicken stock and boiled them on extra high to get them tender. Afterwards, I put the veggies back into the natural juices of the meat so they could soak up the flavor..... Works every time!

Lesson of the day: When things are not going as planned.............. improvise!!!

P.S. Shout out to Kayla for her great Pot Roast advice. Love ya chica!!!

My First Post!!!

So I am very excited to have you as my follower, whoever you may be. I plan on sharing my world of food, and my world in general with you.

Yes, I am inspired by the movie "Julie & Julia", but don't have the money to cook my way through a cookbook like she did. One day though, I will. My plans are to share my everyday cooking experiences with you, and other random things that happen in my daily life.

Enjoy and tell everyone!! !!!!!

P.S. Shout out to my family, friends, my lovely Sorors of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated and my beautiful Line Sisters of Double Jeopardy, Spring '09. I love you all.