Taste of Thai

During my last trip to my parents’ house, I went “shopping” in their pantry, as I usually do. I always leave with new goodies I can’t wait to try.

I was inspired to take coconut milk back to Orlando with me, because I loved the addition of the milk in a bowl of tom ka gai soup that my mom ordered when we went out for Thai food that weekend.

After browsing through the latest issue of Clean Eating magazine, I stumbled upon a recipe for a chicken and whole-wheat udon noodle bowl. The recipe ingredients seemed very similar to those in the soup my mom ordered that I thought was so delicious, so I flagged the page and made the noodle bowl for dinner tonight!

Thai Flava!

I followed the recipe for the most part, but omitted the jalapeños (too spicy!) and cilantro (I didn’t have any) and added extra spinach, cabbage and portobello mushroom. I also substituted Carba Nada egg fettuccine for the whole-wheat udon noodles, simply because I didn’t have udon noodles on hand.

Scoop o' Soup

Soupy

Coconut Milk + Chicken Broth Base

The coconut milk and the citrus juice from the lemon and lime juice added a serious punch of flavor to this meal.

Ryan and I both really enjoyed the interesting flavors and would definitely make this soup again.

At first glance this recipe seems a bit daunting, but it was really easy and came together in a flash.

Chicken & Whole-Wheat Udon Noodle Bowl (from Clean Eating magazine)

Ingredients:

• 1 8-oz. package whole-wheat udon noodles
• 4 c. low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tbsp. fresh ginger, minced
• 1 red jalapeño peppers, chopped (about 1/3 c.)
• 5 tbsp. lime juice
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. lime zest
• 14 oz. unsweetened light coconut milk
• 1 lb. chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 ½ c. sliced baby portobello mushrooms
• 6 oz. spinach leaves
• ½ Napa cabbage, chopped (about 1 c.)
• 12 sprigs fresh cilantro, chopped (about ¼ c.)

Directions:

1. Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. Bring broth, ginger, jalapeños, lemon and lime juice, and lime zest to a boil in a large pot. Reduce heat to medium-low.
3. Add coconut milk, chicken and mushrooms, stirring well. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add reserved noodles, cabbage and spinach, and cook, stirring occasionally, for an additional 5 minutes, or until leaves are wilted.
5. Garnish with cilantro before serving.

Nutritional Information:

Make 8 1 ½ c. servings at 232 calories, 5g fat, 29g carbs, 3g fiber, 3g sugar, 20g protein, 116mg sodium, 33mg cholesterol

Question of the Evening

What is your favorite type of cuisine (American, Japanese, Thai, Italian, etc.)?

Cornucopia of Color

This weekend when I was driving to dinner with Ryan and my sister, we passed a billboard for a fast food restaurant. A plate of fried food was displayed on the billboard and I couldn’t help but notice the lack of color in the meal.

Between the fried chicken, French fries and biscuit, the entire plate was a boatload of beige!

One of my favorite things about eating fresh produce is the abundance of vibrant colors the foods bring to a meal.

Colorful Lunch

My lunch today was a cornucopia of color, all attributed to the fresh vegetables I bought at the farmer’s market on Sunday.

My plate included:

• Grape tomatoes
• Carrots
• Cucumbers
• Green peppers

Grape Tomatoes

Green Peppers

For a protein punch, I also ate fresh egg salad, made with two hardboiled eggs and one egg white, light Miracle Whip, Dijon mustard and relish.

Stinky (But Tasty!)

Aren’t colorful foods more fun to eat!?

In Case You Missed It

In case you missed it over the weekend:

• I went camping
• I made pancakes using Greek yogurt
• My sister, Ryan and I enjoyed a tasty dinner
• We went on a hike and saw a deer and a tortoise

Of Possible Interest

• 5 Ways to Lighten Up Your Cooking (FitSugar.com)
• 5-Star Frozen Desserts (CookingLight.com)

Slimer

Though delicious, green monster smoothies do not look appetizing. Not even a little bit.

To be honest, they remind me a bit of Slimer from Ghost Busters…

Slimer

Or Gak (remember that goopy stuff used to slime people on Nickelodeon?)…

Slimed!

As ugly as they are, green monsters sure do taste G-O-O-D.

I had one of these heinously delicious smoothies for breakfast and now feel awake and aliiiive.

I'm Ugly, But Tasty!

I swear there’s something about a green monster that makes me feel rejuvenated.

Triple G: Goopy Green Goodness

Sluuuurp

Stealing Ryan's Cup for My Smoothie

My green monster contained:

• 1 frozen banana
• Two large handfuls fresh spinach
• 1 scoop All the Whey chocolate peanut butter cup protein powder
• 1 tbsp. cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. Bob’s Red Mill xanthan gum
• 4 ice cubes
• Ice cold water

Workout

I downed this smoothie following a 5 mile run with Sadie this morning. I think our run made me extra hungry because after a quick shower, I enjoyed a small second *much prettier* breakfast.

Second Breakfast

For breakfast number two, I topped a cup of Dannon Greek yogurt with fresh raspberries and blueberries.

Pretty Berries

Fresh Berries + Greek Yogurt

I think berries are the most beautiful food on the planet. Their vibrant colors, interesting shapes and juicy appearance make them oh-so-attractive. (I’m alsoloving that berries are on sale right now!)

Sometimes one breakfast just ain’t enough! 😉

Question of the Day

What food do you love that’s completely unattractive?

I think my plate on Thanksgiving is perhaps the ugliest sight in the world. I love to stir everything together – the turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, peas and stuffing – until my plate basically looks like vomit. It’s so good, but looks so gross.