Making Queso a "light" snack!

As many of you may know, yesterday was FREE queso day at Moe's.  Of course I went there and got mine (at 8:56PM - LOL). I must confess I did eat a few chips with the yummy warm queso last night. But I decided to be a good girl - sure... - and save some for the next day. So, this morning, I had  queso  for breakfast (there is still 1/3 left for later, so I guess I did "good").  Wait! No, no, no, no chips, though.  And this is why I am posting this today.

For all the  queso  lovers out there, here is my suggestion. Instead of eating chips dipped in  queso, why not use carrots of corn crackers (baked)?

I didn't really like it with carrots, but the crackers were yummy.  The best part was that I still got to enjoy the queso in a lighter way.  Check this out:

- 8 crackers = 2 points (Weight Watchers)
- 8 tortilla chips = 8 points  (Weight Watchers)

Totally worth the switch :)

Blackberry dessert - Quick and Easy

So Easy! 

INGREDIENTS: 

- 1 cup of fresh blackberries (but feel free to use any other berry)

- 1/4 cup of shredded coconut

- 1/4 cup of mini marshmallows

- 1 Tb spoon of chocolate chips (or you can use chocolate syrup) 

PREPARATION: mix all ingredients together. Microwave it for 2 minutes.  The berries's juices blend  with the marshmallows and makes it a super fast and yummy dessert! Oh, serve hot. Enjoy :) 

Healthy Spaghetti Squash Recipe

This is a delicious alternative to pasta. It really tastes like pasta al dente (a bit crunchy). The annoying part is getting the squash out. But hang in there and keep reading. 

INGREDIENTS:
- 1 Tb spoon of Olive Oil
- 1 whole spaghetti squash
- 1 jar of spaghetti sauce (I like Ragu, but any will do - did you like the rhyme? - LOL)
- seasonings (oregano or Italian seasoning and pepper)
- salt (I prefer using onion salt or seasoned salt instead)
- 1 onion (chopped)
- 1 head of garlic (or just a clove if don't like the flavor) (chopped)
- 1 cup of 2% milk or light shredded cheese
- 1 bunch of fresh parsley (chopped)

PREPARATION: First you have to cook the squash. You can bake it, but it takes longer, so I always put it in the microwave. Wash the squash (although you won't be eating the outside, I would say it's a good idea). Using a knife, puncture several holes in the whole squash (you don't want a squash exploding, right?!). Microwave on high for 10-12 minutes. Let it cool for about 15 minutes. Work on the sauce now, while you let the squash cool. 

SAUCE: Chop the garlic and onions, separately. Add the Olive Oil and garlic and let it "get brown" (use low heat). Add the chopped onion and seasonings. Mix and let it cook for 5 minutes. Add the spaghetti sauce and the chopped parsley. Let it cook (covered, because it will boil and get messy) for about 5 minutes. Let it sit while you work on the squash.

BACK TO THE SQUASH:
Cut it in half. Remove the seeds carefully - it will be hot (with a fork or spoon). Take a fork and scrape out the insides into a large bowl. Add salt. Mix well. Put half of the squash at the bottom of a glass baking dish. Make one layer of squash, one of cheese, one of sauce. Another one of each. Finish with cheese and sprinkle some oregano. Bake it for about 5-7 minutes in a 350F oven just to melt the cheese. Enjoy!

Watermelon Mono Diet

How about trying the watermelon mono diet for three days?

Mono diet – a diet based on the use of a single product.

Advantages of watermelon diet (according to http://www.rapidweightlosshealthytips.com):

1. The sweetest and the most effective mono-diet (detoxification).
2. An opportunity to lose weight rapidly. Weight reduction is due to the diuretic effect of watermelons, low calorie diet that allows you to burn accumulated fats.
3. Providing your body with most of the key nutrients.
4. Watermelon diet for weight loss will also help normalize metabolism and excrete the excess fluid and toxins, improving digestion, your metabolism and rejuvenating your blood cells.

Eating water melon for three days?  Only that? Really?  I totally understand that you may be thinking you cannot do this. But, trust me, you can.  I have done it, and so have MANY other people out there.

What's the secret? Well, first of all, you must drink at least 1 gallon (3 liters) of water per day. Second, you must eat every 2 hours. Yes, small portions throughout the day will help you not feel hungry.

Here is a sample menu for your mono diet:

7am - three slices of watermelon sprinkled with minced flax seeds (= semente de linhaca amassada/moida)
9am - two slices of watermelon
11am - two slices of watermelon sprinkled with chopped fresh mint (= hortela)
1pm - once cup of watermelon smoothie (blend the watermelon; add 1/4 cup of water and some lime)
3pm - two slices of watermelon
5pm - two slices of watermelon sprinkled with minced flax seeds
7pm - one cup of water melon rind (recipe coming soon)
9pm - two slices of watermelon

Popcorn Cauliflower!

Yum!

Healthy popcorn cauliflower!

If you love cauliflower, or not, I guarantee you will love this healthy snack. I found out about it watching Dr. Oz's TV show. I tried it and loved it and now I am sharing it with you. Let me know if you liked it. 

Prep/Total Time: 30 min.
Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients:

1 large head cauliflower, broken into small florets
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper (I used cayenne)
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
(you may add other spices)

Directions:

1. Place cauliflower in a greased baking pan (I forgot to use foil, but I will use it next time)
2. Drizzle the florets with olive oil and sprinkle with spices; toss to coat. 
3. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 15-18 minutes or until crispy; stirring once. 
4. If it becomes a little brown on the sides, it's delicious, too. 
5. Go ahead and snack it all out  :)

Nutritional Facts (according to Wikipedia):
1 cup equals 88 calories, 4 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 1 mg cholesterol, 309 mg sodium, 11 g carbohydrate, 5 g fiber, 5 g protein.

Abracadabra! The Birth of a Blog.

Hello everybody. I started this blog as an assignment for my Grad class at Central Michigan University. I have never been a Blogger.  I have never enjoyed blogs, I have never followed a blog, written on one nor have I had the desire to create one.  And now, here  I am! LOL (= or as we say in Brazil, hahahahaha (or rsssssss  or kkkkkkkk - just a cultural piece of info - for more details, visit my webpage on Surviving Culture Shock, coming up soon! Stay tuned!).

If you are reading this blog, I'd like to thank you. Thank you for stopping by and checking this out. I truly hope that you enjoy the recipes as much as I did cooking them.

The idea of writing about food wasn't quiet mine. I wish I could take credit for it, but it was actually my boyfriend Jonathon who helped me out. He said, "I know you talked about creating a blog on language learning, or tips for your Brazilian students or even something about trips and cultures, because you love to travel. Since you're having writers block, why don't you post some of your cooking adventures and their recipes? You have great recipes and cooking stories that would make for a great blog and you probably won't run out of things to say".

Abracadabra! And there was a Blog.

Thanks, Jonathon :)