What's Cooking Beautiful? Day 3

Breakfast:

Maple & Brown Sugar Oatmeal with strawberries (made with 1/2 almond milk and 1/2 whole, ran out of almond) and served with 1/2 cup coffee (that's all I drank)

Now, the recipe you've all been waiting for...and what I had for lunch.

STUFFED POBLANO PEPPERS

with rice and avocado

First wash the peppers really good, then place on a clean towel and dry. Then preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with foil.

Cook rice according to package directions; set aside.

Transfer the peppers to a cutting board. Remove top and stem, slice in 1/2 lengthwise. Using a spoon, remove seeds.

Tip: If you want a little extra heat reserve the seeds and sprinkle on top later.

Lightly, mist outside of peppers with cooking spray. Arrange peppers cut side down on sheet. Bake 12 minutes or until tender.

In a large, nonstick skillet, bring 1/2 cup water to a boil. Stir in rice, beans, and chili powder. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-4 minutes until heated through and water is almost absorbed. Remove from heat, stir in cilantro and salt.

I used left-over Spanish rice from dinner the other night - why let it go to waste, right?

Remove peppers from oven and flip cut side up. Gently spoon rice mixture into peppers, dividing evenly.

Sprinkle mozzarella and tomato over top, distributing evenly. Return to oven and bake for 5 minutes or until mozzarella melts. 

Divide arugula among serving plates and top each with 2 pepper halves. Top with avocado and drizzle with lime juice.

***I did not have any arugula (rocket) on hand, so I ate them without it and they were so YUMMY!

Tip: Poblano peppers can sometimes be a bit hot. If you prefer a milder pepper opt for Anaheims.

Serves: 4. 314 calories, Total fat: 10g, Sat. Fat: 2.5g, Monounsaturated fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Carbs: 46g, Fiber: 11g, Sugars: 2g, Protein: 13g, Sodium: 367mg, Cholesterol: 9mg

INGREDIENTS:

• 2/3 cup brown rice
• 4 poblano or Anaheim chile peppers, stem on, halved lengthwise and seeded
• Olive oil cooking spray
• 7 1/2 oz BPA-free canned unsalted black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tsp chili powder (they listed it as chile - but I used chili)
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (looks like a lot but isn't)
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 2 oz part-skim mozzarella, grated
• 1 vine-ripe tomato, finely chopped
• 4 cups arugula (or rocket)
• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
• Juice 1 lime

Recipe from Clean Eating Magazine March issue.

The after...my kitchen NEVER looks pretty...well unless the amazing husband has cleaned it. Have I mentioned he is pretty amazing? :) I did clean up my mess though - he should be proud.

Now, my family won't eat these peppers, probably wouldn't touch them with a 10 foot pole...so I am going to use my cool little food-saver that the amazing husband bought me for Christmas, and package them up and freeze them. Then guess what? I've lunch for another day. How they are going to taste after having been froze - no clue, but I'm going to try it. I'll let you know later this month how it worked out.



After my training session yesterday, I had a Green Monster smoothie! YUMMY! If you look at yesterday's post you'll find the recipe and link for more ideas on how to make these. Drink up!!!

I also had a few sips of my son's Sprite...remind me not to do that again. Wow! And I finished off the last of the Caramel Biscuits I had (3).

I was really hungry yesterday...I read today that running helps suppress the appetite and I've been taking it easy on the running for a bit...least till May 13. MRI May 15th. :) Anyway, I wonder if that's why I've felt so hungry lately...or am I missing something. I also seen an ad that basically said if you're craving sugar you need almonds. Least I think that's what it said...might have been chocolate.

Dinner: I love spaghetti.

This is the 'old' way - tried & true. I have since learned to make spaghetti sauce from scratch. My friend Jenny gave me a great recipe, which I will share! The great thing about spaghetti - you can hide anything in it! Trust me. Google Deceptively Delicious and see what I mean. When I post the spaghetti secrets later on (not this post) you'll see what I mean. Oh and normally, I do not buy tomato paste with pesto - that was an accident and didn't realize it until I opened it.

This probably REALLY bad...I've yet to find a healthier alternative other than eliminating it completely which if I did the family would kill me I'm sure. 2 of them can live off bread alone!

My plate...probably way too much. I struggle with portion control here and yes, I like cheese on top my spaghetti. The crazy thing is, I was still slightly hungry after eating this...I'm starting to think something is missing from my diet (not as in "on a diet" but as in what I'm putting in my body). Some vital nutrient must be missing...

We will talk 'spaghetti sauce' later today. For now, I must get to the gym. Oh, and be on the look out for the Breakfast burritos recipe!!!

I hope you are enjoying this, possibly learning something from it, possibly teaching me something from it...

It makes you very aware of what you are putting in your body when you are photographing it daily! Maybe I'll even teach myself something.

Question of the day: What do you hide in your spaghetti sauce? :)

~T~