Kitchen Staples

You're busy and looking for a quick meal to make after a long day at work.  I always have these staple foods in my kitchen in case I don't have anything else planned.

1. Sealed meals - always nice to have for nights you don't want to cook!
2. 2 jars of pasta sauce and whole wheat pasta
3. Ground turkey meat - keep it in the freezer for quick tacos or spaghetti with whole wheat pasta
4. Quinoa - great plain or with cranberries or veggies
5. Canned salmon - salmon burgers can be a quick and tasty meal
6. Cranberries - great on salads or with quinoa
7. Salsa - add to eggs, tacos, soups or rice
8. Packaged lunch meat - make a panini! Find brands without nitrates such as Applegate Farms
9. Frozen veggies - just add a little water, cover with cling wrap and cook in the microwave for 3-5 minutes
10. Frozen edamame - quick and healthy snack
11. Instant oatmeal packets - fast breakfast or snack and great to travel with too!
12. Brownie Mix - it's always important to be able to make a quick and delicious dessert!

What are some of your kitchen staples?

Liz's Favorites: Lime Squeezer

Are you looking for an easy way to squeeze a lime? Try using a lime squeezer! It's incredibly easy to use and gets every last drop of juice out for you.

1. Roll the lime on the counter (this helps increase the juice)
2. Cut the lime in half
3. Open the lime squeezer and place rind size UP
4. Push the handles together and the juice will come out the bottom

Next post is an Easy Enchiladas recipe where you can use the lime squeezer!

 

Liz's Favorites: Silicone Brush

Have you ever used a basting brush and a bristle was left on your food? It used to happen to me until I found silicone brushes!  They are easy to use and clean; just run it through the dishwasher.  We use them to brush olive oil, marinades and sauces. I highly recommend them!

Liz's Favorites: Grill and Sandwich Maker

The snow has melted and I'm crossing my fingers it will stop raining in time for grilling season to start!

In the meantime, I loved using the Cuisinart Griddler Junior.  I use it open to grill burgers and veggies or closed as a sandwich maker.  It makes the sandwich warm and adds a nice crunch on the outside, yum!  The Junior version is compact and the grilling plates go right into the dishwasher so it's incredibly easy!! I highly recommend it.  Keep posted for a delicious sandwich recipe.

                 

Liz's Favorites: Cranberries for Your Salad

Do you feel salads are boring? Here is a low-calorie addition to wake up your salad and taste buds!  

I have started to put 1 teaspoon of dried cranberries on my salad and it's amazing!  My family doesn't even need to use salad dressing since it adds so much flavor for only 7 calories per teaspoon!  

The cranberries I use are from Fresh Gourmet and it comes in a sealed bag so they stay fresh.  They are located in the produce section of my location grocery store.  The company also posted a recipe for a salad with spinach, onions, pears, goat or feta cheese and topped with cranberries.  Delicious and healthy!

Farmers Markets

One of my favorite farmers markets in Chicago, Green City Market, is opening for outdoor business tomorrow!

Why should you shop at a farmers market?

• Food tastes better and may be better for you
• Food is picked when ripe which increases flavor and nutrients
• Most small farmers use less pesticides and farm organically

• Reduces energy and supplies used to transport crops long distances from the farm

• Healthier for the environment because farmers rotate their crops, which benefits the soil and plants

• Supports local farms
• Farmers only see ~20% of the price you pay at the supermarkets

• Supports local food pantries
• Farmers markets may donate excess food to help the community. Green City Market donates produce to the Lakeview Pantry during the summer months!

Liz's Favorites: Frontera Grill Salsa

I love using salsa in Mexican dishes but also with many other foods, such as eggs, to add wonderful flavor for only ~5 calories per tablespoon!   I am a huge fan of Frontera Grill products, especially the unique salsas such as double roasted, tomatillo, jalapeno cilantro, and the standard chunky tomato salsa.

I am not paid by the company, I simply enjoy these salsas because they taste as if Rick Bayless just made it in my kitchen!  It tastes fresh and incredibly delicious. I highly recommend you try it.

Liz's Favorites: Seal-A-Meal

When you come home after work, cooking is probably the last thing you want to do!  Some people may eat frozen dinners or order-in from a restaurant.  I love eating home-cooked meals but cooking every night is not realistic during busy weeks.

Here are two tips to help:

1) Cook every other night by making enough food for two dinners.
2) Use a Seal-A-Meal which seals foods in an air-tight bag so you can freeze it for later use.

I love using the Seal-A-Meal because I can make a large batch of food and seal it in individual portions which are easy to thaw, microwave and enjoy.  I seal everything, including soups, chili, meats and pasta, and because the air has been removed, it lasts for a long time!  It's incredibly convenient and much healthier than buying frozen dinners at the grocery store.

Liz's Favorites: Reusable Bags

Is being more "green" and earth-friendly part of your New Year's resolution?  If so, invest in some reusable bags.

My favorite reusable bags are Reuseit Earthtotes.  I bought them 3 years ago and estimate that I've saved at least 250 plastic bags each year!   They are incredibly heavy duty and can fit an enormous amount of groceries or other items.

This is a great start to help the environment (but just make sure you wash them)!

Liz's Favorites: Non-Food Favs

Oprah has her list of favorite things so I wanted to share my 12 favorite things I discovered this year!  I am NOT paid by any of these companies, I simply love the products and want to share!


12.  Scunci No slip hair ties - best hair ties I have ever used, especially great for exercising!

11.  Sony ear phones - these are very comfortable and never fall off my ears.

10. Bananagrams - very fun word game!

9. MAC lip gloss - it is not sticky and I love the shine.

8.  Twisted Peppermint candle - it fills the house with the most amazing smell.


7.  Gorillapod - lets you hook your camera onto anything so you can jump in the shot too!

6.  Camelbak water bottle - easy to use at work or exercising.

5.  Netflix - I just joined and love how easy it is to watch movies.


4. Smart Wool socks - my feet are never cold with these amazing socks. They come in light or heavy weight fabric so I have a pair to wear with dress pants and another pair for hiking.

3.  L'Occitane shea butter hand cream - it is the only thing that keeps my hands from cracking in the winter!

2. MacBook - now that I've tried a Mac, I will never go back.

And my #1 favorite thing this year....

1. Kindle - I really enjoy reading and I never thought I wanted a Kindle...until I tried it and discovered how incredibly easy it is to use.  It makes reading at the gym a breeze!   I LOVE it.

Liz's Favorites: Extra Lean Turkey Breast

Looking for a quick and healthy meal?  Something I like to always have in my freezer is a package of Jennie-O Extra Lean Ground Turkey Breast.

TIP:  Make sure the package says "ground turkey breast" and not simply "ground turkey", which may actually include the turkey skin, and is higher in fat and calories!

Nutrition Facts:  The "Extra Lean" version has only 120 calories, 1.5 grams of fat and 26 grams of protein per serving (5 servings per container).  The "Ground Turkey" version has 220 calories, 17 g fat and 19 g protein.

You can use it to make many things; some of my favorites include whole wheat pasta with meat sauce, lasagna, tacos, chili and turkey burgers.  If it is stored in the freezer, always thaw it in the refrigerator the night before you want to use it and never on the counter as this increases the risk of bacterial growth.

Recipes coming soon!

Liz's Favorites: Gravy Fat Separator

Enjoy the gravy without the fat!  One of my favorite holiday gadgets is a gravy fat separator.  Pour the gravy in and wait for the fat to float to the top.  When you pour it into a serving bowl, you can capture only the gravy and none of the fat.

Tastes great and saves calories...amazing!

Liz's Favorites: Immersion Blender

One of my favorite items right now is my new immersion blender. You don't need to get the most expensive one either - mine was only $30! I use it with soup, chili and apple sauce. You can put it right in the pot and it blends some of the food to create a thick soup or smooth apple sauce. You can also use it to make smoothies or salad dressing as well!