Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

I think I talked many times about how baking is therapy. Not shoving sugar in your face, but the act of baking itself. It’s the act of creation and producing something, I think. Also getting to work with your hands helps too. Bringing several ingredients together to make something completely different is fun and satisfying. The process consumes you so you aren’t thinking about the challenges or difficulties in your life. Also, another great byproduct is the delicious things themselves! However, we don’t want to feel guilty about eating this “invention,” we should instead enjoy them.

This recipe is based on of this one here. It’s an incredibly easy recipe that’s hard to go wrong (just make sure you measure). It doesn’t take many ingredients, in fact, if you bake often, you’ll probably have most of them in your pantry. Sometimes Hungry doesn’t like when I bake “healthy” recipes, but I’m thinking that this time he did because they didn’t last over 24 hours (and there were at least a dozen of them). Praise to healthy oatmeal raisin cookies! This recipe is a crowd pleaser without making you feel the guilt!

Stiiir it up

Jan062015

Vegan Mushroom “Stroganoff”

Recently, some friends and I have been having “movie nights” (actually during the day) where we eat and watch a movie. This past time, we all brought food to share. I planned on making a vegan dish that our friend who doesn’t eat cheese or soy could eat. Now, I didn’t actually make it in time for this get-together, but I eventually did successfully complete it! And boy was it worth the wait! I made a vegan mushroom stroganoff. This dish is full of flavor, with the mushrooms giving that depth and heartiness. Since we live in Koreatown, there aren’t a lot of typical noodles, so we used udon noodles! It actually turned out well. Chris has been eating it every day for work, as this recipe makes a great deal of food. Let’s get to it.

Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff

2015-01-04 10:18:52

Serves 4

A yummy substitution for its beef counterpart

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Prep Time

20 min

Cook Time

25 min

Total Time

45 min

Prep Time

20 min

Cook Time

25 min

Total Time

45 min

Ingredients

8 oz package of any type of noodle
1 onion
1 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp whole wheat flour (not all used at once)
2 cups vegetable broth
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp tomato sauce
1.5 lbs mushrooms
1/2 tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp thyme
1 tbsp rice vinegar

Instructions

Chop the mushrooms into 2 inch pieces and slice up the onions
Cook the noodles as per directions on the package (undercook them slightly)
Drain and set aside
In a large saucepan, saute the olive oil and onions
Add two tbsp of whole wheat flour and stir constantly for 30 seconds
Slowly add the broth, soy sauce, lemon juice, and tomato sauce until mixture starts to become thick and bubbly
Add mushroom, sage, salt and thyme and stir
Cook for about 5-7 minutes until mushrooms have shrunk and absorbed juice
Add vinegar and continue to let simmer for 5 minutes
Now, add the noodles alongside another tbsp of flour
Serve hot!

By Hungry and Fit

Adapted from One Green Planet

hungry and fit https://hungryandfit.com/

I am very pleased with how this dish came out, and it was inspired by One Green Planet. This is a great dish for anyone and everyone because it’s vegan and has no soy. It holds well for leftovers as well as the mushrooms continue to marinate with flavor. It’s very simple, the only time-consuming part is chopping up the mushrooms and onions, and even then it’s not a very long time at all. I’d be interested to see all types of noodles work with this, so please share if you decide to make it. It’s a perfect winter dish–full of flavor and warmth. It’s even been cold here in Los Angeles with temperatures of 39 degrees in the morning! That is cold for LA, let me tell you. Please enjoy this warm dish and as always, stay hungry and fit!

BONUS KITTY PIC

Jan052015

Our Last Week (ish) in Pics

I (Fit) have had the luck and the good fortune to have a workplace that lets us have two weeks off for the holidays! This allowed me much relaxation and re-boot time–plus, tons of time with my favorite animals. Have a wonderful week!

Lots of animal naps

Caught them cuddling!

Look at that tongue!!

A book I am SO excited to read

Lots of family time

Delicious meals with good friends

Shopped at Adidas and this made me smile

A Hungry and Fit Facebook giveaway!

Had fun baking and drinking champagne with good friends for New Years

Had fun baking cookies and drinking champagne with good friends for New Years

Enjoying a gourmet breakfast before we saw Into the Woods

Chris having too much fun at work

New Year’s Eve meal (Indian food)…with a hungry Noke nearby

Lots of home workouts

And gym workouts

Dec302014

Mini New Zealand Pancakes: Pikelets

As many of you know, my mum is a Kiwi, meaning she comes from New Zealand. This means that I grew up with lots of different food items than most American children like spaghetti sandwiches (sounds weird, but actually works). Other yummy Kiwi items include scones, banana fritters, and more. My brother and I also grew up with a wonderfully delicious breakfast item, very similar to pancakes. We always looked forward to them whenever mum would make them. When I was little, she would make us shapes like the letters of our name and Mickey Mouse. I am talking about Pikelets. Yes, a strange word, but these were more normal to us than pancakes were. They are very similar to pancakes, but have different qualities. We would enjoy it with butter and Golden Syrup (New Zealand syrup) or maple syrup and we always ate too many. You can thank my mum for this recipe! Oh I forgot to say…this recipe is ridiculously easy so have no fears in trying a new breakfast item out!

Beat that egg

Came out wonderfully!

Never under-indulge

Pikelets

2014-12-29 19:24:09

Serves 2

A wonderful New Zealand alternative to pancakes

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Prep Time

7 min

Cook Time

7 min

Total Time

14 min

Prep Time

7 min

Cook Time

7 min

Total Time

14 min

Ingredients

1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup milk (or as needed)
Butter
Syrup

Instructions

Sift flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl
In another bowl, beat the egg and sugar until thick
Add milk to the flour mixture and mix in the other wet mixture so that everything is combined
Heat up a skillet or a frying pan and make sure to grease before every pikelet you cook!
Place them (around a tablespoon or more of each) and turn over when bubbles start
Cook the other side until golden
Keep warm and serve with butter and maple syrup

By Hungry and Fit

hungry and fit https://hungryandfit.com/

See? Simple ingredients, simple instructions, simply delicious. This recipe can be doubled or halved, depending on who you are serving. Sifting the flour just makes it a bit smoother. Make sure to keep an eye on it while it cooks, so you don’t burn one side. Usually we make many pikelets, so when we pull the ones that are done off, we wrap them in a tea towel to keep them warm. I wish I still had them in front of me! Best enjoyed with a nice cup of tea. As always, stay hungry and fit!

Dec182014

A Few Things You May Not Know About Us…

We got tagged by Dani California Cooks to do this fun post…you should go over and read her post about it, you are sure to laugh. We love these kinds of posts, so we were glad to jump on it! We loooove lists. You’re gonna get trouble from Hungry AND Fit!

Hungry

Worth the wait: A big bowl of ramen No patience for: Bad driving
Better than I expected: College graduation Worse than I expected: Moving again
Would Always: Finish everyone’s food at the table Would Never: Finish everyone’s dessert
Picky About: Eggplant Not So Much About: Milk or cheese
I feel for: People who think they have to stop eating to lose weight No sympathy: Bad fitness coaches
Glad it’s ahead of me: Being financially stable Glad it’s behind me: Undergraduate degree
Early for: Everything Late for: Places I don’t want to be or don’t have to be at
Would pay good money for: A nice romantic dinner Wouldn’t take even if free: Crappy processed food snacks
Fear conquered: Pennywise the Clown Not quite there yet: Stationary heights
Getting better at: Being an adult Getting worse at: Cooking and playing video games
Moment of triumph: Getting referred by clients Epic fail: Losing Valedictorian based on a technicality
Skills mastered: You never master anything Can’t quite get the hang of: Bowling, ever.
Risky when it comes to: Playing with animals Play it safe when it comes to: Dealing with strangers
Always up for: A trip to the movies Never up for: A trip to the club
Lie about: My career as a bouncer Honest about: That would spoil all the fun.
Too much in my life: Signing up for but not finishing the… Not enough of: Taking things one step at a time
True believer: Superpowers Major skeptic: Important people.

Fit

Worth the wait: Getting a new computer No patience for: Pigheadedness (harmful ignorance)
Better than I expected: Being engaged Worse than I expected: Wheatgrass shot
Would Always: Jump in the ocean Would Never: Do gross things for a dare or money
Picky About: Tea Not So Much About: Chocolate
I feel for: Helpless suffering No sympathy: Selfish greedy people
Glad it’s ahead of me: Paying for a wedding Glad it’s behind me: Roadtrip with 4 animals
Early for: Dessert Late for: Parties
Would pay good money for: Food Wouldn’t take even if free: Straight tequila or vodka
Fear conquered: Public speaking Not quite there yet: Spiders and squished-face cats
Getting better at: Science Getting worse at: Exercising
Moment of triumph: Becoming a Certified Personal Trainer with NASM Epic fail: Ability to touch my toes
Skills mastered: Not getting bothered on the street Can’t quite get the hang of: Not making a mess in the kitchen
Risky when it comes to: Food expiration dates Play it safe when it comes to: Letting Noke out to pee
Always up for: A good laugh Never up for: Horror movies
Lie about: How much crap I eat Honest about: What I believe in
Too much in my life: Stress and not slowing down Not enough of: Meditation and writing
True believer: The heart of humanity Major skeptic: Big corporations

These lists were a lot of fun to make. Now you make YOURS and post in the comments below! And as always…stay hungry and fit!

Dec162014

Cafe Ugo Review

The sun is down and it’s a cool night in early December. The allure of downtown Culver City draws us in and after parking, we walk Main Street. It’s a hip area for that demographic that loves small plates and craft beers but we LOVE food and we want a meal. After checking out a few menus and feeling the auras emanating from each location, we are seated at Cafe Ugo.

Service:
It was impeccable. 4/5. We wanted to sit outside and they brought us our own heating tower. It wouldn’t work so they got someone to fix it on the spot. We were slow to decide and our waiter put down the load he was busing in order to take our order when we looked ready. We didn’t even call him over. He had recommendations (and they weren’t based on price), he had patience, he had class, and he had a personality. My water was almost always filled, and if it wasn’t for a lapse near the end of the meal I would have given a perfect 5. When our heater went out, they immediately swapped out the propane tank for a new one. Just excellent.

Atmosphere:
A large restaurant with indoor and outdoor options, busy bar fronts and quiet back rooms. 3/5. The tables were just not a comfortable size. It was awkward but everything was clean and orderly. I didn’t love the makeshift walls for the patio but recognize their convenience for weather changes. While I had no major issues, there was nothing to set this place apart from a normal restaurant, dare I say, even a Cheesecake Factory.

Food:
There are always faults when you aren’t at a Michelin restaurant but they aren’t significant here. 3/5. The ravioli needed more sauce. They were dry and the spinach filling did not compensate for the somewhat dry pasta. Still, they had flavor. The pizza was a true delight to eat. It hit every flavor profile. Salty cheeses with acidic tones from balsamic that were tied together nicely on a well made crust. The structural integrity was questionable, but this is pizza from Naples and not New York so that can’t be taken into consideration. The fried calamari was well cooked but the sauces were a necessity because the breading was not seasoned.

Pricing:
Let’s just say they could have easily charged us more and while the portions were not massive, the food quality made it a good value. 4/5. It’s downtown Culver City, it’s a prime location, and it’s a specialty. Authentic Naples style pizza is not a common dish around here, especially with an 1000 degree oven and serving it uncut. We were more than happy to pay the price on the bill and tip accordingly.

We were glad that we stopped by Cafe Ugo that night. It was enjoyable, we were relaxed, well fed, and left happy. We recommend it to groups of 2, 4, or 6 that are passing by or in the area. It might even be worth a little drive in non-peak hours. We’ll be back if we’re in the area and we’ll bring some family next time. And as always, stay hungry and fit!

Dec152014

Sweet Holiday Treats with Silk

It’s the most wonderful time of the year and you’ve worked your bottom off for almost twelve months! Now is not the time to deprive yourself… take full advantage of the Holiday Season and reward yourself for everything that you accomplished in 2014. Relax. Read. Watch a movie. Sit by the fire. Have holiday treats. You’ve earned it. Make a mug of hot chocolate, your favorite blend of coffee, or a cup of tea. But let’s make this one special. Before you put in your cream and sugar, try this different little something.

Take your ice cube tray, walk over to the sink, and empty all the contents down the drain. (Or you can give it to your dog… Noke loves ice cubes!) Then, pull a carton of Silk Holiday Nog (or your favorite Silk product) out of the fridge and start filling those empty ice cube trays with the Silk! That’s right, we’re making these into Silk cubes. Let them sit overnight in the freezer and you’ll have a batch ready for your next favorite hot drink. Once you pour that boiling hot liquid into your container of choice, drop a Silk cube in, and enjoy. You know when you make a warm drink, that usually you make it too warm and you can’t start drinking it for a while? This is your quick fix! Cubes of iced deliciousness that will cool down your drink and make it taste better! Win win!

Remember, you should make this your special treat. I love to put some ground cinnamon in the trays with Silk Vanilla Soy Milk and add that to my hot chocolate (milk-chocolate based). It always puts a smile on my face when I throw my feet up at the end of the day. So give this little treat a try this Holiday Season and let us know, below, how you make Silk your own. We love to hear everyone’s different combinations! For more ideas like this one, visit Silk’s Facebook page. They are constantly providing everyone with fun recipes and good lifestyle tips! Also, don’t forget to sign up for their newsletter–there are many chances to win tons of Silk products and more! Signing up is free and it’s worth all fifteen seconds it takes!

Watch them spin!

Look like marshmallows!

We hope you enjoy our idea of creating little special moments by creating Silk ice cubes and we hope you try them! Celebrating the Holiday Season is a great way to stay hungry and fit!

This conversation is sponsored by Silk. The opinions and text are all mine.

Dec112014

Who is Team Botan? Cafe Go-Go App Review

The last thing the world needs is one more app like every other. How many times have you heard yourself saying “if I get one more Candy Crush invite I swear I’m going to…” Nevertheless, we can’t help but check the app store, see what’s new, what’s cool, and what’s fun. Today, there is a new kid on the block that is looking to make its own unique impact on the market. It’s bringing back the enjoyment factor, but instead of telling you about it from our point of view… here’s one of the founding members and a Producer of Team Botan, Scott Polhemus (part of our video game brain trust), in an EXCLUSIVE Hungry & Fit interview!

First, a brief word about the game. Cafe Go-Go is a brand new app/game where the user plays as a worker taking orders at a cafe. As the orders come in, the barista must press the corresponding pictures for the items in the proper order. The faster you put a complete and accurate order in, the more points you get. It’s a game that is all about reaction time, hand-eye coordination, and focusing.

Hungry: We downloaded Cafe Go-Go and played it for a bit. It’s a fun game that’s easy to pick up and play. What were you trying to achieve by creating this app?

Scott: Our hope was to produce an original game based on the classic, coin-op arcade games we grew up loving. We wanted it to have a charming, retro look — and for the gameplay to be simple & accessible so anyone could pick up and play while on-the-go (or killing time on a train or in line).

Hungry: What exactly makes Cafe Go-Go different from the million others apps on the market?

Scott: Well, for starters, we didn’t build it to fulfill some sort of licensing gimmick or “sequelitis” sort of situation. Simply, three of us came together and felt it’d be cool if we could put a game together. After a few months of crazed development, we actually succeeded and released Cafe Go-Go.

So, what makes it different? Well, sure, we want it to sell, because it would be amazing if we could do this full-time (we all work day jobs, and this was sort of a moonlit labor of love)…but, we weren’t too keen on the philosophy of “pump-out-n-profit” that a significant number of apps these days adhere to. So, we tried our best to create a game with a charming atmosphere, and a healthy dose of challenge tossed in.

It’s our take on an age-old gaming concept, the ol’ time-based puzzler. We believe its worth & value are immediately apparent from its careful sprite-work to the featured SFX and music produced by our friend, Jack Vanoudenaren (better known as ABSRDST). Simply, that it’s a labor of love from three friends — and we hope the rest of the world shares in the fun.

Hungry: As Hungry & Fit, we’re always focused on the health benefits of activities. What does Cafe Go-Go contribute to a healthier lifestyle?

Scott: If you boot up a quick round of Cafe Go-Go right after waking, it’s a sure-fire way to get your brain going. Of course, no game can compete with the health benefits of going for a run outside, but if you can keep a round of Cafe Go-Go going for over 15 minutes, you’re sure to challenge your mental stamina, as well as your heart rate. Granted, I might just be an out-of-shape fatboy, but, I’ve played a couple rounds that lasted over an hour, and I’d managed to work up a sweat and profound thirst. That was probably the nerdiest sentence I’ve ever said.

Hungry: It seems like a good way to pass time while on a piece of cardio equipment. How much mental stimulation does it offer?

Scott: When you really start rolling, and string orders together in rapid succession, you can feel your concentration reaching higher levels, and before long your fingers work in tandem with the order commands your eyes perceive. Throw in the tip & time bonuses that float across the screen every so often, and you add a whole new layer of concentration and adaptability that challenges the mind.

Hungry: What can we expect next from the company that brought us Cafe Go-Go?

Scott: We’ve got a few projects in the tank currently. One won’t see the light of day until we (hopefully) secure serious funding. The other two, well, it’ll come down to what Team Botan’s brainchild (and programmer extraordinaire), Anthony Delia, feels like tackling first. He’s been storyboarding an idea recently, which I already believe should be our next baby.

Frankly, we just hope to make games with a fine blend of challenge & charm.

The kind of games that’ll have you sometimes gritting your teeth, but always smiling.

Hungry: If Hungry & Fit decided to make an app, would Team Botan be up for the challenge?

Scott: Of course! But, you better find your way to the top of our Leader Boards for Cafe Go-Go!

Right now, the score to beat is: 32,242,000

Think you can beat it?

And there you have it! Team Botan is to the point and looking to bring something new without breaking your bank account! No tricks, no schemes… just fun from some guys that obviously do this out of a love for gaming, not profiting. Still, I’m sure they wouldn’t mind making some money to help fund their newest projects in development that Scott gave us a heads up into! You can check them out on Twitter or purchase the Cafe Go-Go app in the app store!

And let us know what kind of app you’d want to see from Hungry & Fit? Exercise routines for different populations? Nutritional plans? Comment below! And as always..stay hungry and fit!

Dec092014

How to Make Cream

This may be the simplest recipe you will ever see coming from us. But when it’s done, right, boy is it sooo good. Most Americans will usually pick out the whipped cream out of a can, but that’s a no go for Kiwis. Plus, once you go real cream, you can never really go back. I’m drooling just thinking of it. Thick, barely sweet cream good atop anything you can picture up. Plus, there’s no excuse not to make your own cream because it is so darn easy! So you want to know how to make cream? Let’s go over the incredibly difficult recipe.

Homemade Cream

2014-12-08 23:01:46

An easy way to make your own cream

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Total Time

2 min

Total Time

2 min

Ingredients

1 pint heavy whipping cream
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 tsp sugar

Instructions

Put ingredients into bowl
Beat them until it turns into whipped cream

Notes

The higher quality heavy whipping cream, the better your cream will come out

By Hungry and Fit

hungry and fit https://hungryandfit.com/

I know you’re lying to me if you tell me this doesn’t look good

Remember, the better quality heavy whipped cream you start out with will dictate how good your final product will be. You can use this cream for anything: pie, hot chocolate, coffee, fruit–the list never ends. I will make a big bowl when I make scones and then savor the rest of it for decadent hot chocolate nights in winter time. Can’t get better than that, huh? I swear, once you go homemade, you’ll never buy a can again! As always, stay hungry and fit!

*Question of the Day: What’s your favorite thing to put whipped cream on?

BONUS ANIMAL PIC