Homemade Banana Fritters

In my experience, it seems like banana fritters are not a huge thing in the United States. However, growing up in my household with a Kiwi mother promises otherwise. Oh homemade banana fritters, how can words do justice to your magnificence? Banana fritters are a special part of weekend breakfasts in my family. They are basically a banana and flour mixture that’s fried in oil on the stove top. We usually top them with powdered sugar. It’s so delicious. And better even still–they are incredibly simple to make! Let’s get to the recipe.

Banana Fritters

2014-09-22 23:09:56

Yields 8

A decadent breakfast recipe that takes under 15 minutes to make

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Prep Time

5 min

Cook Time

6 min

Prep Time

5 min

Cook Time

6 min

Ingredients

1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
water
powdered sugar
2 bananas

Instructions

Sift flour and baking powder
Mix with water to batter consistency (water amount could be different for everyone)
Slice bananas and stir them into the batter
Heat a pan with quarter of an inch of oil
Take a large spoonful (see pictures) of fritter mix and plop into pan
Cook until little bubbles start to appear in batter (roughly 3 minutes)
Flip and do the same
Take out of pan and put on paper towel
Sprinkle with powdered sugar

By Hungry and Fit

hungry and fit https://hungryandfit.com/

I can usually only get through about two because they are very rich and quite rewarding. I’m sure many other Americans would love to play around with this recipe like put syrup or fruit on top. You should experiment! For me, it’s powdered sugar until the end. This is my mum’s recipe and I feel very lucky indeed to have it and also to be able to share it with you all! She’s been making it for who knows how many years, so it’s almost as easy as making a cup of tea for her. Enjoy this recipe to stay hungry and fit!

*Question of the Day: What’s a special breakfast tradition for your family?

Sep142014

Hungry’s Birthday in Pictures

Birthday donuts at 6am!

Donut boy

Presents…

Cuties

Awesome shoulder workout together with his new shirt

Omusubi for lunch in his new H&F shirt

BEACH! We saw dolphins and body-surfed awesome waves (thanks, ocean!)

post-ocean selfie

Ramen for dinner!

Dessert!

Sep112014

How Do I Make an Alfredo Sauce?

With high quality ingredients, patience, and love! Plus, all of the instruction I will give you below.

Last week, I made my signature Shrimp Fettucine Alfredo (with a scallop on top, asparagus, and french bread) for Fit’s birthday dinner. Of course, cooking for six in a kitchen you haven’t really used is always challenging but we cannot make excuses, only delicious food. (It’s also fun when one doesn’t eat meat, one has to control their intake of carbs, and one has acid reflux!) Alas, here is a very basic but very delicious way to make Alfredo sauce.

Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo

2014-09-11 09:38:02

Serves 8

Hardy and rich meal with robust flavors that anyone can make

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Prep Time

20 min

Cook Time

35 min

Prep Time

20 min

Cook Time

35 min

Ingredients

1 tablespoon - Dry Italian Seasoning
1 teaspoon - Dry Oregano
1 teaspoon - Dry Herbes de Provence (do not tell my ancestors!)
1/2 Pint - Heavy Whipping Cream
1 Pint - Milk (I use whole, some use skim! How rich do you like it?)
2 Tablespoons - BUTTER
1 Anchovy - Diced
1 1/4 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup of shredded Asiago cheese
1/3 cup of shredded Romano cheese
Salt (in grinder)
Pepper (in grinder)
Medium saucepan
Whisk (no ball or spring whisks please... stick to a balloon or french whisk... I use french for better movement)
Spoon (for tasting)
LOVE, PASSION, DESIRE

Instructions

Pour all of the milk into your medium saucepan, on medium heat.
Begin whisking at a moderate pace, adding the heavy whipping cream.
Continue whisking with the dominant hand, add the butter.
Whisk to break down and incorporate the butter completely.
Slowly add 1/4 cup of shredded cheese (any) while whisking.
Continue adding cheese, slowly, whenever the former cheese added has completely been incorporated, without any lumps.
Add the diced anchovy, while whisking gently.
Add the dried herbs, while continuing to whisk gently.
Let the mixture sit at medium heat and take a moment to taste.
Add salt and pepper at your disposal.
When the flavor is beautiful, continue whisking at medium heat, until it has thickened to your desired texture.

Notes

I recommend using HIGH QUALITY ingredients! If you cannot afford them, that is fine BUT if you are trying to make a special meal for a special someone (or are just trying to impress anyone) it is well worth the splurge! The difference is obvious!
Do not allow the cheese to stick to the bottom of the sauce pan, you must whisk with constant vigilance!
Feel free to continue prep and cook other ingredients while continuing to whisk the mixture. Keep it on medium to low heat after this initial preparation, mixing every minute to make sure it does not stick to the sides or bottom, solidify in any way, or lose the texture you have earned. I usually make the fettucine and shrimp (this time scallops, asparagus, bread as well) at the same time.

By Hungry and Fit

hungry and fit https://hungryandfit.com/

It may have many calories (don’t ask how much) but it actually is quite simple with some patience and high quality ingredients, and it will surely help you stay happy, hungry and fit!

BONUS PUPPY PIC

Noke trying out for Sound of Music

Sep092014

Fine Italian Dining: Bottega Louie

Recently, while Hungry was out of town, I spent some time with my brother in Downtown Los Angeles. Now my brother is a very generous man. He will always take me or us (if Hungry is around) out to breakfast, lunch, or dinner–no questions asked! That’s why it’s always a treat to go around to new places with him. He knows such a great variety of restaurants. That night I had slept over, so the next morning we decided on a breakfast place before I headed back to Santa Monica. Sophie (Kai’s partner) and Kai agreed we had to go to Bottega Louie.

Me, my mum, and my brother

Wow. What an experience. First of all, this place is huge. It used to be a department store building, so you can only imagine. Tall, tall ceilings, with incredible square footage–think 4000 (not kidding). You enter and the first thing you see is their lovely bundle of treats at a huge counter. You don’t have to sit down to eat here in order to fix your sweet tooth. You can just order from their bakery section. I’ve definitely had macarons and more from there–YUM. Every worker there is dressed impeccably in black and white–it brings you to a fine dining atmosphere. We are seated immediately as we arrived just as it opened for breakfast.

Our waiter was unbelievably professional and catering. He waited on our every word and treated us like kings and queens. Our bellies were very anxious at this point, especially after Kai’s been telling me about all the incredible things he has eaten here in the past. He orders “the best grapefruit juice he’s ever had” and I get a water. This place is fancy–they change your silverware for each part of the meal and clean up after you. The service is absolutely incredible.

Beyond drinks, we start with the beignets with raspberry sauce. Many of you know my affinity for New Orleans, so I was all over this. Kai isn’t a big sweets person, especially when it comes to pastry. However, these are very different from traditional New Orleans beignets so I was a bit cautious. Throw caution out of the window for this one, folks. We both bite into these steaming round beignets with granulated sugar (not powdered sugar) and both look at each other with wide awed eyes. WOW! Absolutely incredible, fresh off the press. I’m literally drooling as I write this. It’s hard to describe how good they were–think puffy, delicate, and dream-worthy. The raspberry sauce (I usually don’t dig dessert dips) was out of this world fresh with subtle tart flavors that completed this dish. Yes, I did just dedicate an entire paragraph to the beignets. THEY WERE THAT GOOD!

The magic

We moved onto our final course. Kai ordered portobella mushroom fries for us to share and mushroom ravioli with an egg baked inside. Sounds crazy, right? The ravioli is huge, enough room for them to somehow (I suspect magic), cook an egg inside. I got the eggs benedict without the meat. Oh boy, were we a happy pair. I had never had mushroom fries before. They were incredibly long, deep-fried in some batter and served with a pesto aioli. Absolutely wonderful. The mushroom-egg ravioli was fantastic. My eggs benedict knocked it out of the park–executed perfectly. It was such a happy meal and experience and we could’ve really used some wheel chairs after the meal. We were FULL.

Ravioli

Eggs Benedict

Overall, dining at Bottega Louie was such a wonderful experience that is somewhat unusual to me. I usually don’t go to fancy restaurants, but it was just so great on all levels: the service, food, and atmosphere get an A+! I can’t wait to take Hungry there. They also serve lunch and dinner so the options are endless! Next time you’re in Downtown LA, stop by Bottega Louie at least for a sweet at the bakery, if not a full meal! As always, stay hungry and fit!

Sep022014

The Best Meatloaf Recipe Ever

Protein! Get your protein here! But, seriously–this meatloaf is chock full of protein and damn good flavor. My mum found a recipe for meatloaf and changed it to make her own and I was lucky enough to be nearby–it turned out to be the best meatloaf recipe ever. I may be a vegetarian, but the rest of my family really enjoyed it. Hungry even said it was one of the best he’s ever had–better than restaurant quality. That’s a rare compliment! It’s an incredibly simple recipe that even has vegetables! This is a great back-to-school recipe that can feed the whole family twice over. You know protein and flavor are important to us and that’s why this recipe is a hit.

Nommmm

The Best Meatloaf Ever

2014-09-02 09:42:47

Yields 1

A meatloaf chock full of protein and flavor

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Prep Time

15 min

Cook Time

1 hr 10 min

Prep Time

15 min

Cook Time

1 hr 10 min

Ingredients

1 cup fine fresh bread crumbs
1/3 cup 1% milk
1 medium onion
3 garlic cloves
1 medium celery
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1/4 tsp allspice
1 1/2 lbs ground beef (75%)
1/2 lb pork (80%)
2 eggs
1/3 cup parsley
Meat thermometer

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
Soak your bread crumbs in the milk in a large bowl
Chop onion, carrot, celery, and garlic
Cook onion, carrot, celery, and garlic in butter in a large pan over medium heat and stir for 5 minutes
Cover the pan and reduce to low heat and simply cook until carrot is tender
Remove from the heat and stir in the Worcestershire sauce, allspice, cider vinegar, salt, and some pepper
Add veggies to the bread mixture
Pack mixture into an oval loaf and then put into a 13 by 9 inch baking dish or pan
Bake until center of meatloaf reaches 155 degrees F which will take between 1 hour and 1 hour and 15 minutes
Let stand for a bit before serving and then DIVE IN

By Hungry and Fit

Adapted from Ian Knauer

hungry and fit https://hungryandfit.com/

This is a crowd-pleaser and a crowd-filler! Rarely does anyone leave the table eating this meatloaf saying they didn’t get enough to eat. We love that it has lots of protein, vegetables, and is absolutely delicious. You can also have fun with it and throw in anything you’d like, just to spice it up in your own way. Use this recipe to stay hungry and fit!

BONUS PUPPY PIC

Dog days of summer

Aug282014

Should I Eat Fish Skin?

(Yes, but be careful.)

That sounds weird. Should I eat fish skin? Fortunately, it’s a relatively simple question to answer. You just need to ask yourself a few questions when that fish skin is sitting in front of you. Unfortunately, answering those questions can be quite a challenge. (I got your hopes up, didn’t I?)

(The skin is naturally good for you if it isn’t contaminated.)

All of my friends know that I love Asian cultures, but when I went to school in South Korea I was exposed to tons of cultural quirks that I never learned about before. One time I was eating dinner in Seoul with some of my students (seems wrong, right?) and they teased me when I left the skin from my mackerel on my plate. They told me that all of the old women would always fight over the skin because it was the best part of the fish. I thought of the protein content of the meat, but they didn’t care about that.

(It is an amazing source of omega fatty acids so don’t waste it!)

It was amazing to get the feeling that the mackerel skin (or any other fish rich in omegas) was as valuable as gold or jewels. After thinking it over and not being one to waste food, I decided that I would always eat my fish skin and everyone else’s fish skin for that matter! Be cautious because even though the skin of just about any fish (especially those served in restaurants and available at fish markets) have amazing health benefits in an ideal world, the contaminants and pollutants in a lot of the heavily fished oceans/fish farms in the world, can present unwelcome health risks. In many cases, the risk outweighs the reward.

(The contaminants and pollutants don’t always make it to your mouth but know they were often there!)

You can avoid this by buying fish responsibly. Due to Alana’s eating habits, we always ask our food servers if they know the source of their fish. This usually isn’t a problem at fish markets,where they tell you if the fish is farmed or wild caught, and where its point of origin is. Once you find a respectable fish market and do the proper research, you don’t have to do it again… just get what you know!

I hope this didn’t confuse you too much and led you in the right direction. It’s not like chicken where there are almost no health benefits unless you’re looking for more fat and calories. So the final answer is yes–eat the skin–but be careful and do your research! As always, stay hungry and fit!

BONUS PUPPY PIC

Aug262014

Seasoning Your Food: Heat vs Spice

Don’t worry, this will not be a rant! Although it could be, I am going to take it the other way and use it as an opportunity to educate people about preparing food properly. Nowadays, with the rising popularity of genetically modified peppers and the presence of Sriracha on every table in the United States, it’s obvious that the average adult and young adult’s palette favors spiciness.

People want heat. Furious Pete and other food enthusiasts eat Moruga Scorpions and Ghost Peppers whole while millions watch. Those are multiple times spicier than the habanero you’ve probably heard of at some point in time. Some might think it’s insane, but it’s reality and the gourmet world has been affected as well. So here are some important tips to remember when you are making your own food or ordering it from someone else.

1. There is spice and there is spice. Some use spice to refer to heat, Scoville units, etc. Spices are used to preserve, color, and FLAVOR food. They can be roots, seeds, leaves, and many other items that are used for their ability to enhance food. There are over 300 spices that are used in the culinary arts and they all have unique properties. Don’t just rely on a few and go outside the box.

2. Don’t settle for heat. Sometimes when people fail to develop proper flavor in a dish, they just cover it in hot sauce. (I put hot sauce on my egg whites when I eat them in bulk.) If you’re trying to create a dish with a rich and deep flavor profile, keep experimenting until you get that level of near perfection. Don’t just throw hot sauce on it… don’t give up!

3. Heat and spice can create amazing flavors. Ever had Thai or Indian food? Ethiopian? (We could go on for hours.) When chefs can merge extreme heat and still retain the flavor development of less dominant spices, it shows incredible skill and the results are amazing. When that same chef can alter the level of heat without changing the presence of the other flavors, it’s mastery.

So there you have it, a few things to remember when seasoning your food. Eventually, we might have some more posts about specific spices. Remember, don’t settle for that hot sauce. Keep trying different ratios of spices and preparations (toasting) so that you can cook your own meals at home that you love. Restaurants are a nice treat but no one knows what you want more than you do! As always, stay hungry and fit!

BONUS KITTY PIC

Aug152014

What Makes You Great?

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Post Great Grains Cereal for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

A big part of being healthy is having a healthy mind. In this context, I’m talking about being positive. Having a positive attitude and outlook is an important part of keeping your health in tip-top shape. It’s important to have a positive attitude regarding others, but even more important regarding yourself. We are always our own worst critic and have an easy time getting down on ourselves. However, negative energy is a serious drain on your mental, emotional, and physical health. It kills motivation, self-respect, self-esteem, and the ability to be kind to others. Positive energy is a lot more important than people think. It can lift us up and keep us high as we reach for our goals in life.

In light of this, Hungry and I made a list of why we’re great. It’s always important to keep a positive attitude about yourself, and making a list of things you love about yourself is a great way to do that. Let’s do it:

What makes Hungry and Fit great…

Our motivation to become better at everything we do
Our undying love for animals
Our love for the outdoors: especially beaches to swim at and forests and mountains to hike through
Our want to help others in their health journey and more
Our desire and willingness to make everybody be healthier–not just a certain population
Our acceptance for our weird selves
Our nerdy side
Our ability to adapt to new surroundings
Our support of one another
Our ability to laugh…a lot
Our independence and being who we are in the face of judgment
Our honesty

Those are just a few of the things that we think make us great. And it makes me feel great to write these down and appreciate us. Post Great Grains Cereal Survey displayed tons of reasons why women all over the country are feeling great. Some of these results included:

“83 percent of women think the greatest obstacle to reaching their full potential is what they think of themselves, rather than what others think of them”
“When women pick the best part of getting older, being comfortable in their skin tops the list, followed by gaining perspective, and feeling a sense of security”

Post Great Grains Cereal also put out a “What Makes You Great?” commercial, urging people to recognize and speak about the factors that make them great. I love that they did this because far too often people wallow in their own self-contempt rather than highlighting their own positive features.

We had the chance to experience some of Post Great Grains new products. We sampled lots of the cerals, including the “Protein” blend and “Digestive” blend. We especially liked the Protein blend. With me being a vegetarian, it’s always important for me to make sure I get a good protein intake. Plus, they are yummy. Our favorite is the Great Grains Protein Blend Cinnamon Crunch. I’m in love with cinnamon flavors and the good fiber and protein makes it a guilt-free way to start the day. That’s something that helps me stay “great.”

Great Grains has an enormous variety of cereals out there right now such as Berry Medley, Vanilla Graham, Banana Nut Crunch, Crunchy Pecans, and more. There’s really a flavor for everyone. And if you’re looking for more fiber or protein, you can grab the Digestive or Protein blends respectively. Great Grains has nutrition you can see with at least 7g of fiber in their Digestive blends and at least 8g of protein in their Protein blends.

It’s important to feed your body nutritiously and stay positive about yourself which is why we love to support the Great Grains Cereal campaign. We will continue nourishing ourselves with their yummy cereal while remembering to stay positive in what makes us great. Check out Great Grains on Facebook. As always, stay hungry and fit!

*Question of the Day: What makes YOU great? Comment below!

Jul302014

Parmesan Zucchini Rounds

We are on our last leg here in Colorado as we get ready to move to California. Which means we have bits and scraps of odd food items we are trying to get rid of. One of the surplus foods we have are zucchini! Summer time always yields tons of zucchini, so we always need to find use for them. I wanted a quick side to our dinner before we went and saw Hercules (review coming) and realized we had Parmesan too. Perfect! Parmesan Zucchini Rounds— delicious bites of vegetable and cheese, yum! The recipe is ridiculously easy and tasty.

Parmesan Zucchini Rounds

2014-07-30 07:58:15

An easy cheesy, healthy snack

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Prep Time

6 min

Cook Time

25 min

Prep Time

6 min

Cook Time

25 min

Ingredients

1 zucchini
Parmesan
Salt

Instructions

Set oven to 425 degrees F
Peel your zucchini
Cut into quarter inch rounds
Place rounds on parchment paper or a greased baking sheet
Put a sprinkle of salt on each one
Put a small spoonful of grated Parmesan on each one
Bake in oven for 20-30 minutes
Serve immediately

Notes

Feel free to put garlic on as well!

By Hungry and Fit

hungry and fit https://hungryandfit.com/

They may not look purdy, but they are yummy. I could literally eat a whole zucchini by myself if I cook them this way. It’s my new go-to snack. Cheesy bites while getting your fill of veggies! You can use any size zucchini, and it’s a crowd pleaser (even the kids). Use this recipe to stay hungry and fit!

Jul252014

Best Cafe in Longmont: Cafe Luna

There is a wonderful cafe on a street in Longmont that not many pass through. It looks like a house and when you enter, it feels like you are home as well. This cafe is Cafe Luna. With a sign that says “Friends don’t let friends drink Starbucks,” you know you’re in for some personality here. It’s a wonderful cozy atmosphere with local artwork on the wall and a room chock full of books to read. It’s my favorite place to get breakfast and it always puts me in a good mood.

If you couldn’t tell already, this is a local business. They have tons of different drinks, but I usually always get the Chai. And alongside my Chai, I get “Oatmeal w/ the fixings.” It’s my favoritest favorite thing. One of my favorite things about this is that everyone who works here (I’ve seen four people so far) makes it different. It’s never the same. However, you are always in for a treat. They cook the old-fashioned oats, use steamed milk, cinnamon, sometimes sugar, some kind of nut and fruit. With each bite, your mood rises.

It’s a cafe to relax in, to be content in, to read in, to study in, to meet with friends in, to start your day right in. I love cafes like this–cozy, comfortable, home-y, and unique. They don’t take themselves too seriously, their prices are low, and they make sure to have you feel at home. It’s hard to leave without a smile. There’s also WiFi!

Their baked goods are also excellent. When I come here just to get my oatmeal, I almost always get a muffin too. They prepare and bake these things in between orders from people. Hungry loves their cookies and also enjoys that they have Mexican Coke. Everything has that homemade feeling, it’s almost as if you’re in a Bed and Breakfast or something similar to that nature. I’m thankful someone introduced me to this place. Although we are leaving, I hope this review helps more people enjoy the splendor that is Cafe Luna. As always, stay hungry and fit!