Hungry’s Secret Recipes: Humming Chicken Star Deluxe

My father taught me much about sandwiches while growing up. While Mom was always making creative and sophisticated dishes, Dad was the master of the art of sandwich. And it was not something to be messed with in the house. If you didn’t toast your bread, you were a punk. Cheese and salami on bread? Not a real sandwich. He invented the super deluxe sandwich, with all the fixings. Lettuce, pickles, cole slaw… anything in the fridge was fair game to be put on the sandwich.

Being from the New York area and having the earl of sandwich in the house, I inherited a love for the sandwich. My standards are high, even though I’ll eat just about anything. The philosophy hasn’t changed, put stuff on it, and toast it, or you’re just an ingrate.

Without a ton of time before work and having to go in the water for four hours, and five without food, I knew I had to throw together a nice sandwich that wouldn’t hurt my stomach at all. Since I’m getting back into working out, I also wanted a good amount of protein, calories, and carbs since it’s still early in the day and I need my fuel. The catch is that I woke up with some cold symptoms including a sore throat and congestion, so I wanted to avoid cheese and thickening agents.

Here are the ingredients:

1 Morningstar Original Griller
1 large can of Chunk light tuna
hummus, plain
mustard, Gulden’s
butter, land o lakes
whole wheat bread, 3 pieces
1 avocado, large

(I forgot pickles, really just a lack of time)

And the pictures show the rest.

Get the avocado on there

Next comes the tuna

DON’T FORGET TO TOAST IT

Essentially, create a monster stacking sandwich that has toasted bread. First toast the bread. Then construct as the pictures show. Then cover in butter and toast on the stove top. Take that Dad. Feel free to add lettuce and pickles.

Ready to be eaten

Nutritional Facts: Way over 50 grams of protein. That’s all you need to know.

Be hungry!

Jan242013

Bodybuilding.com Review

I know what a lot of you are thinking. Bodybuilding? We don’t want to be bodybuilders. But this is a huge misconception about this phenomenal online resource. Let me tell you from some experience why you need to go to www.bodybuilding.com and see what they have to offer. Disclaimer: I have no official connection to the website and I am doing this simply because I think it can help any readers that are interested in being HEALTHIER!

I have it bookmarked on my Chrome bookmark bar and this is why.

1. Store: Obviously, they need to make serious money to stay in business because it is a massive operation, which I’ll say more about later. If you are interested in taking supplements, keep reading… if not, I won’t force anything on you because I have mixed feelings about supplements. The website gives user reviews on every product, a massive selection of supplements, and very competitive prices. I buy ALL of my supplements from Amazon or this website. What I love the most is the promotions they have. Free shaker cups, t-shirts, gym bags with the purchase of your supplements and on top of all that… they send you a ton of free samples depending on the size of your order. Last time, on a $100 order, I easily got $25 dollars of free supplements (mostly good ones) on top of two free shakers and a drawstring bag. Just saying, you can do your unbiased research and get a great deal.

2. Bodyspace: This is the workout world’s equivalent of MySpace. It is a social media medium in its own way, but it’s very useful. I have a Bodyspace but I have never used it. Nevertheless, I can tell you that you can track progress in terms of measurements, body fat and weight, and other goals. You can set goals and work towards them. You can even post your own workouts for others to use… and so much more. The best part is that out of the million users nearly all of them are friendly, motivating, and supportive because if they aren’t, they aren’t welcome. It’s free, by the way, and has literally changed thousands of people’s lives for the better. Just go on and ask those people, and check out their progress.

3. Articles: Free fitness articles, free recipes, free workouts, free information that competes with any magazine out there. Fitness professionals (some that I like more than others) provide you with great information born from brutal experience and education. They have everything from a book worth of protein powder recipes all the way to interviews with really fascinating people.

So those are my three biggest reasons that you should check the site out if you’re interested in any fitness related goal. Nutrition, workouts, motivation… they have everything and more, go check it out.

Okay, Bodybuilding.com, time to hire me!

Jan172013

Wild Boar Burgers

If you know me, you know I have a weird diet philosophy. I call myself a vegetarian, but I will eat any wild-caught fish or hunted meat. Just my desire to go back to a more natural age before the meat industry. ANYHOW, now that you know how and what I eat, let me introduce tonight’s dinner: Wild Boar Burgers and Chips. Everything homemade, of course. It actually turned out great despite my NEVER cooking boar before and rarely (pun intended) ever cook meat. Check it out

Ingredients

2 potatoes
kaiser rolls
wild boar meat
grilled onions
tomato
spinach
pickles
garlic
dried rosemary & basil
salt & pepper

Directions

First thing I did was cut up my taters. Slice into very thin pieces, so they cook into crispy chips (fries, for you Americans)

Now, I cooked and cut up my condiments. It’s your choice if you want to do this now or later, but this is how I did it. I grilled up some onions, cut tomatoes, and pickles. I also got out some spinach to go atop the burger as well.

Now it’s time to tackle the boar meat. We got ours ground, so it was pretty easy. Put the meat in a sizable bowl so you can season it. You can season it however you want, but I used garlic, garlic pepper, salt, dried basil and rosemary. I use plenty of garlic, 2 cloves and slice it up. Oh, and a little dash of soy sauce. Then dig around and make sure it’s somewhat evened out.

Now have two pans with oil getting hot on the stove. Flatten out the patties semi-thin, just not thick. Put your potatoes in one pan and salt them up. Now put your patties in the other pan, put them on a medium-low heat, so they don’t get burnt on the outside while they’re cooking on the inside.

Now it’s really up to you to monitor the burgers and the chips. Maybe go set the table, get some drinks out. You want the chips nice and crispy and the boar burgers cooked well, but still juicy. We cooked ours for about 6 minutes. Aaaaand done!

It turned out very well, the chips were crispy, the burgers were loaded with flavor, and our bellies were very happy. I hadn’t eaten any kind of meat (last time was wild bison) in about a year. Oh, and our drink of choice, none other but gourmet root beer.

Go ahead and try out the recipe, let us know if you have any questions about anything. PS- you can see Nymeria on the step-stool in the picture above.

Cheers!

Jan022013

5 Baby Steps to Starting the “New You”

So you’ve made your resolutions–well done! So how do you even start them. It can be quite daunting to look at a page of things you say you are going to do…which is why it’s so important to start with baby steps. Let’s try just a few…

1. Take the stairs every time. I know you’ve heard this one before, but I want you to actually follow it. Every time. Even if you’re tired. You work on the third floor, go ahead and do yourself a favor and take those few flights. It will be worth it in the long run, especially if you don’t have time to workout.

stairs (Photo credit: moyogo)

2. Move more. Just move! That’s it! You have an office job? Print things out to the farthest printer, or the one upstairs. Use a stability ball instead of a chair. Stand up and walk around when you are drinking your coffee. Say hi to that coworker in the other department you haven’t seen in awhile. I know you’re busy, but you can make time for a few minutes each hour to just move around. This will keep your metabolism up and running.

Using stability balls (Photo credit: mediaguy4)

3. Eat frequently. This isn’t a myth, folks, the more times you consume food, the faster your metabolism has to work. This doesn’t mean go out and have steak and eggs for every meal. Small meals folks–egg on toast, fruit, trail mix, peanut butter on celery. Divide up those foods and you have something to graze on all day, keeping your body alert and your metabolism working.

Tasty Food Abundance in Healthy Europe (Photo credit: epSos.de)

4. Change your daily activities. What do you do when you come home from work? Plonk yourself down with a frozen dinner and watch the tube? Well, you know some habits are going to have to change and that is certainly one of them. I know you’re tired when you come home from work, and there’s nothing wrong for putting your feet up for thirty minutes or an hour…but not the whole night. Find something active to do, play with your kids, your dog, cook up a meal, clean the bathroom. Go shoot some hoops. There are plenty of ways to stay active even at night.

Not our cats (Photo credit: Per Ola Wiberg ~ powi)

5. Decide on a workout time. Everyone’s different. That goes without saying. But I am saying it because you need to experiment and know yourself when it comes it workouts. For example, I typically workout best in the mornings, I feel I have the most energy. But that doesn’t mean I won’t workout at night, because I often do. But if you’re just starting a workout routine, find the time where you feel most energized, refreshed, and motivated. It will make all the difference. Try working out in the morning, in the afternoon, and in the evening. Note when you have the best workouts.

Workout at the Beach (Photo credit: shyb)

There you have it, folks, 5 easy ways to start the “new you.” Let us know if you have any questions–we love to see people get healthy! Good luck!

Nov272012

Thanksgiving Feast: Do it Right

Okay, so we’ve been gone for…a week. But we have plenty reason why! My family came in and it was a very excellent, fun, way-too-fast vacation for all of us here in Boulder. But you’re not here to listen to my excuses about family and not being able to post. You’re here to see food. And since we’re just getting back to full-time blogging, I’ll post a nice light array of food.

Thanksgiving was wonderful. When is it not? Don’t answer that, yes I know the turkey could light the house on fire. Family, food, sunset walks, and good tv. WHAT CAN GO WRONG? Don’t answer that. But seriously, everything went well for us and we had an amazing time (kittens included). So, my parents and brother came in for the week and we had a 9-person Thanksgiving. It was beautiful and great and just LOOK AT IT ALL.

Mum’s homemade cranberry sauce, from stewed cranberries and sugar

Baked yams with shaved almonds on top

Mashed potatoes (of course)

Martinelli’s…Thanksgiving Classic

TURKEY. We didn’t eat it, but others did

My beautiful plate…you can see salmon (wild caught) as my meat in addition to a roll, mushrooms, and brussel sprouts (as well as other food covered already)

You will always find amazing salads at Marga’s house

Plate all clean! Well except for the avocado Kai dropped on the floor

One of the two pies we had. This one was a bakery-made Peach-Raspberry (yum) and Megan made a top-notch pumpkin pie that I wish still existed

So that really covers it for Thanksgiving food…except for the stuffing and gravy and other alcohol served. Everyone had a good stuffed time. How was yours?

You know it…BONUS KITTY PIC

Nov162012

Lactose-Intolerant? I’m Sorry…But Here’s Something for You!

Now Chris’ mom is a fantastic cook and baker, so this one is a treat. Especially for you folks out there who are lactose-intolerant (what a sad world that is) and have other allergies. She’s prepared a Pumpkin Pie Recipe (Lactose Free) for everyone out there for the upcoming holiday!

That sure looks good, doesn’t it? Now trust me, I’ve had many many things she’s cooked or baked from her amazing Thanksgiving Stuffing to her Chocolate Mocha Cake. She’s got it all and she has it down-pat.

Head over to her Etsy site for this delicious recipe and more. She doesn’t just cook–she also crafts. She makes wonderful jewelry and headbands…she paints too! It would really be worth your time to take a look at everything she’s got. And I’m not just saying this because it’s Chris’ mom…it’s because I truly enjoy her good, healthy food and you will too!

(you know it…BONUS KITTY PIC)

Sep202012

Eating Kale: Fear the Bitterness No Longer

Most people turn up their noses when it comes to kale (unless it’s kale chips, which are great), including Chris and my dad. I don’t blame them, really, it is a pretty bitter vegetable if you don’t cook it right. It’s a very dark green green, and, if you have experience cooking (or…eating), you know that dark greens can often be a bit bitter. But, kale was on sale at the grocery, and I had never really cooked it before, so I picked up a HUGE bunch (it actually took 5 minutes and two of us to get it into the bag).

Kale, still planted

It sat in the fridge for a few days as I was unsure what to do with it, and I knew Chris was even more unsure and not looking forward to it. Then, one day for dinner, I got out the kale. I was on a mission. This was going to be cooked and it was going to LIKE IT! My planned dish was pasta with kale.

Spoiler: It turned out great.

Sep182012

Whole-Wheat Pizza — No Yeast Necessary

Hey there, ladies and gents, here’s a dish that will make you drool the instant it’s about to go in the oven and even more so after. And the recipe will make your stress meter happy: it’s a quick one (surprisingly, for pizza). If your dough is right, then it could take just twenty minutes (including cooking time!). AND YOU DON’T KNEAD ANY YEAST (sorry I had to). I don’t know if you’re getting it…it’s an easy quick recipe! I got it from this blog, but altered it a good deal. Okay sorry, let’s get to business.

Ingredients:

2 cups regular whole wheat flour
2 cloves garlic (pressed)
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup olive oil
anything you want to put on top

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Put all those ingredients [spare the toppings (anytime I say ‘spare,” I think of Voldemort’s “Kill the spare!” sorry I digress)] into a big bowl and mix by hand. You want to knead it all together to make a dough. You want it to feel spongy and happy.

Get a baking sheet, oil it lightly and press the dough down onto it in whichever shape you desire. Try to get it as flat as possible without tearing it

Bake for 5-15 minutes, depending on how thick your crust is. You want it to firm up so you can put your toppings on
Take out and put your toppings on! I started with pesto and marinara sauce, with garlic pressed into it too

Then I put grated cheddar cheese and brie all over. On one half, I loaded on the spinach (eat your vegetables!). I also put dried basil and oregano on top

Put in oven for 10-20 minutes (depending on the thickness of the crust). You want it until the edge of the crust is a light brown and your toppings are cooked

And there you have it! That wasn’t hard, was it? It’s near impossible not to enjoy this–unless you burn your mouth, so be careful! This dish maybe lasted eight minutes. Maybe. Just try it, you won’t be disappointed.

Sir, you’re drooling everywhere

Sep082012

Need Some Protein? Whole-Wheat Peanut Butter Cookies

I know, I know, it’s a pretty cheap way of protein, but I had to catch your eye somehow. But maybe just the word ‘cookies’ would’ve done it. Hmmm…

Anyhow, this is a real easy recipe and takes no longer than 20 minutes (including prep time!). It’s great to have with a nice cup of tea (for me, Chai tea). I originally got the recipe from here, but as always, it’s altered. Take a peek below for ingredients and directions!

Ingredients

1 cup of peanut butter (I used creamy natural)
1 egg
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups of whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Mix the peanut butter, butter, honey, sugar, and egg til it’s smooth like…butter

3. Then stir in the whole-wheat flour and baking powder until blended in

4. Make little balls out of the cookie dough and place them on the cookie sheet

5. Place in oven for 13-15 minutes (depending on how you made the cookies)

6. Enjoy!

Let us know if you enjoyed this recipe! We’d love to hear back from you. Cheers 🙂

Sep052012

Stuffed Mushrooms–Nom Style

So I completely stole this from a fellow blogger I’ve found through hunting food blogs. Her blog is thedomesticatedfeminist, I encourage you to check her stuff out–delicious recipes! The one I most currently stole, are Stuffed Mushrooms. And of course, with any recipe I find, I alter it slightly (not because I’m creative, but because I’m poor and don’t have all the ingredients). My philosophy is that you should cook with what ya got in your kitchen! And it helps with the wallet too.

Okay, so let’s get your ingredients ready! Oh, and I also made garlic bread.

Ingredients (stuffed mushrooms):

4 mushrooms
1 tomato
big handful spinach
2 cloves garlic
lemon juice
dried basil
cheddar cheese
brie

Ingredients (garlic bread):

loaf of french bread
garlic
butter

Directions (garlic bread):

Okay! So first, let’s get started on the garlic bread because it needs sometime to bake.

1. Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees

2. Cut the garlic bread with a good bread knife so that the knife goes almost all the way to the bottom, but you don’t wholly cut through it.

3. Stir up a mixture of butter and garlic (I used two cloves)

Buttery garlic-y goodness

4. Next, you want to use a butter knife and spread the garlic butter through each slice you’ve made (remember, you don’t want the slices to be separated from the loaf)

5. Pop it in the oven! I’d say for around 10-15 minutes (just keep checking it to make sure the bread doesn’t burn)

Directions (stuffed mushrooms)

Ahhh, now the good stuff!

1. Before we stuff ANYTHING, we need to roast up the tomatoes and spinach: put olive oil and garlic into a pan and throw the tomatoes and spinach in

3. Don’t forget pepper&salt!

4. Let that rest while you fix up the mushrooms.

5. Time to clean the mushrooms. Simply hold under cold water and scrub with your hands, inside and out. Also, take out the stems of the mushrooms. Place on pan.

Mushrooms just dying to be stuffed

6. Now we want to make a magical mixture consisting of olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice. Whisk that up. We want enough to fill each mushroom.

7. Pour mixture into mushrooms

7. Now, whatever cheese you have in the house, chop it up! You don’t need many pieces. We had brie and cheddar cheese in our apartment, so that’s what I went with. You want to chop it up into small cubes (or something similar to that)

8. Now, put in the cooked tomatoes and spinach that you roasted beforehand. Try to make them even so you don’t upset your loved ones by being unfair.

Stuffed with goodness

9. Place the pieces of cheese on top. Then sprinkle dried basil over it.

10. Aaaand, pop them in the oven. Remember it’s on 375 degrees. I left them in for around 12 minutes.

And Voila! Some wonderful cooked mushrooms.

Thanks again to thedomesticatedfeminist for her inspiration. I did it my own way, but she sure had a good idea. It is so juicy and wonderful, bursting with flavors like garlic and tomato. Hope you enjoy! Comment if you have any questions or comments!