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EDIBLES

Loaded Healthy Nachos

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My parents didn’t believe in the rating system. Or maybe they did. I guess putting her hand over my eyes in Pulp Fiction was my mom’s attempt at censorship. And I think I got fair warning in Fatal Attraction. But not to worry. I understood things at an early age: Sex is dirty, drugs are fine, guns are illegal, killing rabbits is bad. And affairs? Dicey.

I’m lucky, really, to have seen all I have in the theater. I like to think of myself as a movie buff. Having seen the classics, extensively studied film history in both the United States and in Italy, spent more hours surfing IMDb than I care to admit, and told Leonardo DiCaprio I love him in person, I think I’ve earned the title.

What’s as vivid for me as the films themselves are the movie theater concessions. The grease soaked paper bags popping over with corn. Extra butter please! No, really, at least two more pumps. Cardboard boxes the size of my checkbook filled with candy- Snow Caps most notably. A fountain soda reminiscent of a keg. Sprite to be tapped in under an hour of run time. All that was munchable in the darkness of the theater. I can still feel that excitement as I spied my mom opening her sack of a pocketbook to uncover our snuck-in stash of Reese’s Pieces and Kit Kats. Notice the plural.

‘Going to the show,’ as my mom calls it, meant two hours of hand to snack to mouth. And it was glorious. The projection on screen as engaging as licking my fingers. As if I’d just exfoliated with a salt scrub and lotioned with butter. One hell of a spa treatment.

I found giving up that dimly lit dining to be tough. Severing the connection between mindlessly eating four pounds of popcorn, a stick of butter, a candy bar, and a Coke, took some getting used to. Because though it had been oodles of fun, it was mindless. It’s one thing to sit down, fork in one hand, knife in the other, and get down with food. But to nibble your way through 120 minutes of entertainment and not really remember whether you just ate one Snickers or two- that’s a different story. And a sadder one at that.

The thing is, I loved movies enough to let them be the activity. To let Leo be the star of the show. It involved being present. Mindful in what I was doing. And honestly, after a few months of just watching the big screen, I felt an ease I didn’t know would come.

It’s not that movies can no longer involve popcorn, soda, and candy, it’s just that they can no longer look like my personal foray into the competitive eating circuit. Though if it paid well…

Since losing 135 lbs, I’ve retained some snackability. You might still find me with sticky chocolate fingers ten rows from the front, except nowadays I’m aware of what I’m ingesting, and I enjoy each and every morsel more than I ever did before.

loaded healthy nachosThese nachos pay tribute to the clear plastic containers of salted tortilla chips I used to crunch my way through in the theater. Only those ones featured a cup of cheese whiz, which I unabashedly love. This is my stab at making a healthy plateful of crisp chips mounded with cheese, spicy black beans, tomatoes, avocado, and sour cream. Four hundred calories of pure, cheesy bliss. The textures? Crunchy, squishy, creamy, and gooey. The flavors? Limey, spicy, salty, and sweet. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m just about to press play on my VCR (because you know I stayed loyal to VHS). I’m hoping the nachos offset my king-sized Butterfinger.

To make these loaded, g0od-for-your-heart and soul nachos, I began with a large whole grain tortilla. This is a multigrain Flat Out wrap, it’s got a longer ingredient list than I’d like, a decent amount of fiber, and 100 calories.

Preheat your oven to broil.

Cut the tortilla into small triangles, the size of standard tortilla chips.

Lay the triangles on a wire rack set on top of a roasting pan, or simply place them on the roasting pan by themselves. Coat them generously with cooking spray and sprinkle them with a hefty pinch of salt. Broil for 4-5 minutes on one side, flip them and broil for another 1-2 minutes or until crisp and light golden brown.

Add 1 tsp olive oil to a small skillet set over medium heat.

Add 1/4 cup finely diced onion. Saute for 3 minutes, or until the onion begins to soften.

Add 1 minced clove of garlic and stir for 20 seconds.

Add 1/4 cup black beans.

Add 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes. I used halved sugarplum tomatoes, which are deliciously sweet.

Next, squeeze half of a lime over the pan. Sprinkle in 1 tsp cumin and 1 tsp chili powder.

Stir to combine and let the mixture cook for 1 minute, just to heat through.

Place the crisp tortilla chips in a pile on a foil lined roasting pan coated with nonstick cooking spray.

Pile the black bean and tomato mixture onto the center

Now, sprinkle the whole pile with 1/3 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese (a combination of cheddar and pepperjack). Set under the broiler for about 2 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and melted.

Carefully slide the nachos onto a plate, or simply eat them from the foil. Top with 1/4 of an avocado, diced, and a dollop of sour cream or plain greek yogurt.

Recipe by: Andie Mitchell

close up nachos

EDIBLES

Smoke your Thanksgiving turkey for tasty twist on tradition

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(Culinary.net) Make room in the oven this Thanksgiving with a Spatchcock Smoked Turkey recipe that stays moist and tender. By relying on the smoker rather than a traditional baked bird, you can keep the oven freed up for savory sides and delectable desserts.

Visit Culinary.net to find more Thanksgiving recipes.

Spatchcock Smoked Turkey

Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy”
Servings: 8-10

  • 1 stick melted butter
  • 2 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons onion powder
  • 2 tablespoons thyme
  • 2 tablespoons lemon powder
  • 1 turkey (10 pounds)
  1. Heat smoker to 225 F.
  2. Mix melted butter, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme and lemon powder. Rub entire turkey front and back with butter mixture.
  3. Smoke turkey until it reaches internal temperature of 150 F. While turkey finishes smoking, heat grill to at least 450 F.
  4. Sear turkey on grill until internal temperature reaches 165 F, about 10-15 minutes. Flip turkey breast side down 30 seconds to crisp skin. Use pizza peel to remove from grill.


SOURCE:
Culinary.net

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EDIBLES

Find Comfort in a One-Pot Pie

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(Family Features) That first day of chilly weather always feels the coldest before you’re accustomed to it, and an easy, warm, filling meal can help hit the spot. Better yet, this rendition of Shepherd’s Pie is made with just one pot so cleanup can be a snap.

Visit Culinary.net for more one-dish meal ideas that bring comfort to cool days.

Shepherd’s Pie

Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy”
Servings: 8-12

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 6 medium potatoes, peeled
  • 2 teaspoons thyme, divided
  • salt, to taste
  • pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup beef broth
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 bag (12 ounces) frozen mixed veggies
  1. Heat oven to 350 F.
  2. In Dutch oven, brown ground beef and drain fat.
  3. Boil potatoes until fork tender and mash them. Add 1 teaspoon thyme, salt and pepper, to taste, and set aside.
  4. Place ground beef back in Dutch oven and mix in onion powder, tomato paste, beef broth, garlic powder, cream and remaining thyme. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Mix in frozen veggies.
  5. Cover meat mixture with potatoes and bake 25-30 minutes.


SOURCE:
Culinary.net

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EDIBLES

Homemade meals to tackle takeout cravings

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(Family Features) Many busy weeknights come down to one decision for frazzled families: cook at home or give in to takeout cravings. Instead of stressing over a decision, enjoy the best of both worlds and make Asian-inspired dishes from the comfort of your own kitchen.

Featuring a blend of chilled, freshly chopped vegetables; ready-to-eat, pre-cooked noodles; gourmet dressing sauce; and crispy toppings, Fresh Express Hot or Cold Salad and Noodle Meal Kits offer two meal options in every bag – hot or cold – so you can make your salad, your way. Available in Teriyaki, Asian Sweet Ginger and Korean Sesame flavors, they’re the perfect inspiration for making takeout-style dishes at home.

Consider this Marinated Teriyaki Steak with Teriyaki Noodle Salad recipe, which combines juicy steak with crisp vegetables and pre-cooked Udon noodles for the ultimate at-home comfort food in an effortless meal. For a quick and delicious solution that may just become a family go-to, these Teriyaki Tofu Bowls are jam-packed with flavor, noodles and fresh veggies.

These homemade favorites feature a delicious blend of broccoli, red and green cabbage, kale, shredded carrots, radish and green onions in Fresh Express’s Hot or Cold Teriyaki Salad and Noodle Meal Kit. The vegetable blend is tossed with pre-cooked Udon noodles, white sesame seeds and crunchy wontons then finished with a gourmet teriyaki dressing sauce for familiar Asian flavor.

Visit freshexpress.com/hot-or-cold to discover more than 300 fresh recipes and find a store near you.

Marinated Teriyaki Steak with Teriyaki Noodle Salad

Prep time: 1 hour
Cook time: 24 minutes
Servings: 4

  • 1/2 cup dark soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce
  • 1/2 cup unsalted chicken stock
  • 1 pound flank steak
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 bag (16.9 ounces) Fresh Express Hot or Cold Teriyaki Salad and Noodle Meal Kit
  1. In saucepan, add soy sauce, brown sugar, Sriracha sauce and chicken stock; bring to simmer while whisking. Simmer 4 minutes.
  2. Cool mixture down until cool to touch, about 20 minutes.
  3. Slice steak into thin strips and place in bowl. Pour marinade over steak and marinate for 1 hour.
  4. In large pan over medium-high heat, stir-fry steak 2 minutes.
  5. Remove steak from pan and allow to rest.
  6. In same pan used for steak, add oil and cook hot or cold kit according to instructions on bag.
  7. Add steak back to pan and stir to incorporate.
  8. Garnish with toppings from hot or cold kit and serve.

Teriyaki Tofu Bowls

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4

  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 2 teaspoons white pepper
  • 2 teaspoons Chinese five-spice
  • 1/3 cup neutral oil
  • 1 package (16 ounces) extra-firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 bag (16.9 ounces) Fresh Express Teriyaki Hot or Cold Salad and Noodle Meal Kit
  1. In bowl, whisk vinegar, dark soy sauce, honey, ginger, garlic, white pepper and Chinese five-spice until combined.
  2. Slowly pour oil into mixture while whisking vigorously. Place cut tofu in mixture and allow to sit 15 minutes.
  3. Bring large saute pan to medium-high heat and place tofu in, turning when crust forms.
  4. When tofu is finished, set aside and prepare hot or cold salad and noodle meal kit.
  5. Serve with tofu on top of hot or cold salad and noodle meal kit.


SOURCE:
Fresh Express

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