Are shrimp dumplings healthy if you make them yourself?

This probably shouldn't be on my list of recipes to try, but how freaking yummy does that look?!?!?  I might sub in ground chicken or turkey for the pork and give this a whirl! 

Shrimp Dumplings (adapted from Taste and Tell):

Recipe from: http://damndelicious.tumblr.com/post/43551512932/shrimp-dumplings

Yields 36 dumplings

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound shrimp, peeled, deveined and diced
• 8 ounces ground pork
• 1 cup shredded green cabbage
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon mirin
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 36 gyoza/pot sticker wrappers
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Soy sauce, for serving

DIRECTIONS:

In a large bowl, combine shrimp, pork, cabbage, green onions, ginger, sesame oil, mirin, salt and pepper, to taste.

To assemble the dumplings, place wrappers on a work surface. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the shrimp mixture into the center of each wrapper. Using your finger, rub the edges of the wrappers with water. Fold the dough over the filling to create a half-moon shape, pinching the edges to seal.

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the dumplings and cook until golden and crisp, about 4-5 minutes.

Serve immediately with soy sauce, if desired.

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Healthy cooking ideas

So what you may or may not know about me is that I love to cook, but typcially I like recipes with lots of fat, butter, sugar, etc.  Recently, I've come to terms with my new healthy lifestyle and the fact that I need to start finding healthier ways to cook my favorite foods.


On Thursday RR had a bunch of teeth pulled which means he's due for a long few days of apple sauce, jello, and soup.  So on wednesday night I decide to make him a last meal that's a little more memorable than our standard baked chicken and broccoli.   So I perused a website my Sister in law recommended and decided the Cajun Chicken recipe would be an appropriately yummy "last meal".  I gotta say I didn't love all the chopping, but would DEFINITELY make this again.

Cajun Chicken

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2012/02/cajun-chicken-pasta-on-lighter-side.html

Cajun Chicken Pasta on the Lighter Side
Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 5 • Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups • Old Points: 6 pts • Points+: 8 pts
Calories: 323.8 • Fat: 6.2 g • Protein: 25.9 g • Carb: 44.1 g • Fiber: 6.3 g • Sugar:3.2 g
Sodium: 126.5 mg (without salt)  


Ingredients:

• 8 ounces uncooked linguine (I used Barilla Whole Wheat Penne)
• 1 pound chicken breast strips
• 1-2 tsp Cajun seasoning (or to taste) (I used creole seasoning, and added some crushed red pepper, perhaps a bit too much because it is SPICY!!)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 medium yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1 cup fat free low sodium chicken broth
• 1/3 cup skim milk
• 1 tbsp flour
• 3 tbsp light cream cheese
• fresh cracked pepper
• 2 scallions, chopped
• salt to taste
• Smart Balance cooking spray 

Directions:

• Prep all your vegetables. In a small blender make a slurry by combining milk, flour and cream cheese. Set aside. 
• Season chicken generously with Cajun seasoning, garlic powder and salt.
• Prepare pasta in salted water according to package directions.
• Heat a large heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; spray with cooking spray and add half of the chicken. Sauté 5 to 6 minutes or until done, set aside on a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken. Set aside.  
• Add olive oil to the skillet and reduce to medium; add bell peppers, onions, and garlic to skillet, sauté 3-4 minutes.
• Add mushrooms and tomatoes and sauté 3-4 more minutes or until vegetables are tender. Season with 1/4 tsp salt, garlic powder and fresh cracked pepper to taste.
• Reduce heat to medium-low; add chicken broth and pour in slurry stirring about 2 minutes.
• Return chicken to skillet; adjust salt and Cajun seasoning to taste, cook another minute or two until hot, then add linguine; toss well to coat. Top with chopped scallions and enjoy!

Makes 7 1/2 cups.

I'm also currently toying with an idea for a healthier eggs benedict after seeing a (full fat) Martha Stewart Recipe for  Steamed artichokes and smoked salmon.  I mean how pretty is that?!?!  I'm not big on smoked salmon, but I bet it'd be equally yummy with some lean ham and a lighter hollandaise sauce.  But I'll have to wait until RR can eat solid foods again. :-/

Happy Friday,

Candydiva04

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How to "Go Green"

My BFF, Tiff, and I have been swapping recipes and cooking tips, really, I'm just stealing her recipes, but it sounds much nicer when I say we're swapping, so I'm going to run with that.

Anyway, last time we talked about our diets and meal plans for the week, I mentioned that because RR has better eating habits than I do, I've been letting him rule the kitchen.  Otherwise we'd be eating junk, or junk disguised as healthy food.  So while I love having a man who cooks, (remind me to post his Ground turkey buffalo meatball recipe later, YUM!) it occasionally has its downsides.

The downside to him cooking is that more often than not, we aren't eating balanced meals.  Typically, its all protein, and little or no veggies.  In response, Tiff tells me to stop being lazy and cook more.  (Thanks Tiff!)  She was at least kind enough to follow that up, with this article on how to get more greens in your diet. The article suggests...

1. Stirring them into soup. I  don't eat much soup and when I do, its not homemade. So this won't work for me.

2. Slip greens into your chicken breast.  This one I LOVE since RR is VERY partial to chicken, this might be a great way to mix things up.

3. Blend leaves into your smoothie.  I was doing this for a while, and it was great, not really sure why I stopped.  CO at Fitness, Fashion Frank, posted this great smoothie recipe that her nephew brought home from school.  If its kid friendly, I'm sure adults will love it too!!  Its on my "To try" list.

4. Beat them into eggs.  Another great and practical idea.

5. Wrap your burger or sandwich with lettuce.  I think this one is slightly impractical for my lifestyle at the moment.  If I take a lettuce rapped sandwich to work, it'll be all soggy and gross by lunchtime. Since I generally buy bagged salads, this would require buying whole lettuce, strictly for weekend sandwiches.. not worth it. To me, but if it works for you, I'm all for it. 

Let me know if you're doing one or trying of these suggestions (especially the ones, I might have ruled out), I'm open to being persuaded! ;)

Hoping to "Go Green" soon, 

Candydiva04

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The Gym Search

So I am such a slacker. It took RR asking about the blog to make me remember that I haven't posted in ages. Basically, I fell off the wagon and stopped posting, and it took me such a long time to catch up with the wagon and get back on that I forgot I even had a blog! SMH

So I'm back, as is some of my weight. I buckled down on my diet before my birthday and dropped down to 135lbs then went on vacation to an all inclusive resort and lost my mind. I was 148 when I got back on my scale. I've been yo-yo-ing ever since, but I haven't had the will power to get my diet in order, either.

The fact that my gym is closing and RR and I have been shopping for a new gym doesn't help. Finding the right gym feels a little like being Goldie locks from Goldie Locks and the 3 Bears.  There are no franchise gyms like Golds or Bally's near by, not that I have any interest, but RR likes the idea. The Y(MCA) is popular here but overpriced and chock full of people in there for social reasons so that's out. We've narrowed down the search to about 5 gyms, RR made a spreadsheet, lol.

Gym#1 - we both hated. Its past our neighborhood so we'd have to fight the urge to just go home after work. But it was small and had a weird layout. Not mention the creepy guy who oogled me, and the crappy treadmills.  RR liked some of the equipment they had that our gym didn't, like the laying down ham curl machine, which left my hams SUPER sore for 4 days. I literally couldn't straighten my legs! RR liked the power squat machine. But one day of working out there was enough to rule it out.

Gym#2- My fave. The clientele is nothing but serious fitness folk, no annoying resolutioners. There are several competitive bodybuilders/fitness/figure athletes who train there, plus some of my fave ppl from my old gym are also transitioning there. Its semi close to the house and I like the vibe/atmosphere. RR's biggest complaint was a lack water fountain, and he had a bad dumb bell experience. And it had "less equipment" than our old gym. I disagree.. I think it just had different equipment but that's his opinion.

That's all we've checked out thus far, we have 2, maybe 3 more to go. The 3rd one might get skipped because they haven't returned a single call, email or fb message RR has sent...

We'll keep you posted!!!

Candydiva04

P.S- that last post about spiking my protein shakes made me literally laugh out loud and shake my head.  Oh the mistakes we make!

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