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Eating And Gaining Weight? How To Control The Urge To Splurge!

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I confess: I’m completely addicted to Pringle’s. My determination weakens every time I think about munching into one, hearing the crunch, and getting that first taste of its yummy flavor. Pure heaven. Although you don’t flip over chips, probably there’s another food that lures you into the refrigerator or the pantry cabinet. According to one study, 97% of women (compared to 68% of men) experience cravings on food.

How do you control these urges that drag you in an intoxicated shape away from your diet plan and down into the swirling vortex of pleasure? I researched on the topic to give you expert advice on how to enjoy that art called eating without turning in into a feeding frenzy. Read on – and never again feel guilty about eating a chocolate chip cookie.

Take Charge of Your Eating Habits.

Try to control the number of food cravings you experience. It appears to be impossible for humans like us, but if you psyche yourself and develop fewer cravings, then slowly you’ll submit to fewer cravings.

According to one study of nearly 500 women, researchers found that women who received a daily 1, 200 milligram calcium supplement reduced their number of premenstrual food cravings by 54%. To reach the same result by getting the needed calcium intake from food, rely on skim milk and yogurt. Sounds a bit difficult for all lactose intolerant? Try some calcium-fortified foods or juices like cheese and calcium-filled orange juices. If you don’t feel you can get sufficient calcium from food, make up the difference using a supplement of calcium carbonate or calcium citrate.

How about something relaxing? When you’re anxious, the body produces more of the hormone cortisol, which may increase the amount of carbohydrates you want to eat. Sweets or carbohydrates temporarily increase our levels of serotonin, making us feel calm and relaxed.

Thus, one way of helping curb your sweet tooth, rent some videos, text your funniest friends, or schedule a spa weekend. Why not have a bit of chocolate once in a while? When you begin including small amounts of these forbidden foods into your diet, a funny thing happens: You don’t crave them anymore.

Distinguish specific cravings from hunger. Suppose you drive by a fast food outlet and all of a sudden, you develop a deep craving for French fries. Rather than rushing down the drive thru section, reassess your urge. Turn on your favorite music and switch your attention away from the fries idea. Suppose, on the other hand, you feel the need to satisfy not the urge but your hunger, select an apple pie or salad as a substitute.

Cut Hundreds of Calories.

Sure you can cut on hundreds of calories on what you eat every day! How? By making the appropriate choices on replacing high-calorie to low-calorie foods, such as cheese, creams, whole milk, butter, etc. Here are easy tricks to keep you cooking and eating minus the calories.

When cooking, use nonstick pan to eliminate the use of butter and/or oil.
Remove the fat from the meat.
Remove the skin of chicken before serving.
Use butter-flavored seasoning on vegetables instead of sprinkling butter.
For casseroles, desserts and sauces, use evaporated skim milk (12 cal./tbsp.) instead of heavy cream (51 cal./tbsp.)
Cook stews and other casseroles ahead of time. Refrigerate. Remove congealed fat before serving.
Choose real orange (71 cal.) over an orange juice (90 cal./6 oz).
For snacks, low-calorie fruits (cucumbers, asparagus, carrots, apples, pickles) are good replacements for crackers and breads.
Use bottled chocolate extract for milk shakes instead of sweetened cocoa.
Use two egg whites (34 cal.) for cakes instead of one egg (82 cal.).
Choose diet margarine (50 cal.) instead of the regular margarine (100 cal.).
Choose cereals with the least calories then add fresh fruits to be more nutritious.
In parties, good substitutes for snacks are carrot strips, pickle slices, and raw mushroom caps.
Drip away fats by cooking hamburgers on the rack.
Avoid chips with dips.

Staying in healthy shape depends on the right attitude. So how strong is your will power to control the urge?

 

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Eating And Gaining Weight? How To Control The Urge To Splurge!

CLICK HERE FOR WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAMS.

CLICK HERE FOR WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAMS.

I confess: I’m completely addicted to Pringles. My determination weakens every time I think about munching into one, hearing the crunch, and getting that first taste of its yummy flavor. Pure heaven. Although you don’t flip over chips, probably there’s another food that lures you into the refrigerator or the pantry cabinet. According to one study, 97% of women (compared to 68% of men) experience food cravings.

How do you control these urges that drag you in an intoxicated shape away from your diet plan and down into the swirling vortex of pleasure? I researched the topic to give you good advice on how to enjoy that art called eating without turning in into a feeding frenzy. Read on – and never again feel guilty about eating a chocolate chip cookie.

Take Charge of Your Eating Habits.

Try to control the number of food cravings you experience. It appears to be impossible for people like us, but if you psyche yourself and develop fewer cravings, then slowly you’ll submit to fewer cravings.

According to one study of nearly 500 women, researchers found that women who received a daily 1, 200 milligram calcium supplement reduced their number of premenstrual food cravings by 54%. To reach the same result by getting the needed calcium intake from food, rely on skim milk and yogurt. Sounds a bit difficult for all lactose intolerant? Try some calcium-fortified foods or juices like cheese and calcium-filled orange juices. If you don’t feel you can get sufficient calcium from food, make up the difference using a supplement of calcium carbonate or calcium citrate.

How about something relaxing? When you’re anxious, the body produces more of the hormone cortisol, which may increase the amount of carbohydrates you want to eat. Sweets or carbohydrates temporarily increase our levels of serotonin, making us feel calm and relaxed.

Thus, one way of helping curb your sweet tooth, rent some videos, text your funniest friends, or schedule a spa weekend. Why not have a bit of chocolate once in a while? When you begin including small amounts of these forbidden foods into your diet, a funny thing happens: You don’t crave them anymore.

Distinguish specific cravings from hunger. Suppose you drive by a fast food outlet and all of a sudden, you develop a deep craving for French fries. Rather than rushing down the drive thru section, reassess your urge. Turn on your favorite music and switch your attention away from the fries idea. Suppose, on the other hand, you feel the need to satisfy not the urge but your hunger, select an apple pie or salad as a substitute.

Cut Hundreds of Calories.

Sure you can cut on hundreds of calories on what you eat every day! How? By making the appropriate choices on replacing high-calorie to low-calorie foods, such as cheese, creams, whole milk, butter, etc. Here are easy tricks to keep you cooking and eating minus the calories.

When cooking, use nonstick pan to eliminate the use of butter and/or oil.
Remove the fat from the meat.
Remove the skin of chicken before serving.
Use butter-flavored seasoning on vegetables instead of sprinkling butter.
For casseroles, desserts and sauces, use evaporated skim milk (12 cal./tbsp.) instead of heavy cream (51 cal./tbsp.)
Cook stews and other casseroles ahead of time. Refrigerate. Remove congealed fat before serving.
Choose real orange (71 cal.) over an orange juice (90 cal./6 oz).
For snacks, low-calorie fruits (cucumbers, asparagus, carrots, apples, pickles) are good replacements for crackers and breads.
Use bottled chocolate extract for milk shakes instead of sweetened cocoa.
Use two egg whites (34 cal.) for cakes instead of one egg (82 cal.).
Choose diet margarine (50 cal.) instead of the regular margarine (100 cal.).
Choose cereals with the least calories then add fresh fruits to be more nutritious.
In parties, good substitutes for snacks are carrot strips, pickle slices, and raw mushroom caps.
Drip away fats by cooking hamburgers on the rack.
Avoid chips with dips.

Staying in healthy shape depends on the right attitude. So how strong is your will power to control the urge?

 

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Tips For Outdoor Grilling

English: Grilling meat at the Ballard Seafood ...

English: Grilling meat at the Ballard Seafood Fest, Seattle, Washington. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

The Outdoor Grill

 

There is no better way to cook food than to have it in an outdoor grill. The healthy ambiance of being outdoors also compliments perfectly the great quality of food you would produce when grilling outdoors. While most people think that outdoor grilling is only for barbecues, they are not aware of the many things you can do with outdoor grills, some of those are baking, roasting, searing, steaming and smoking. Cooking it in a grill is not only more fun but also has a distinct grill flavor.

 

Even if you might not see it, your outdoor grill can do more things than your kitchen oven, you just need to know some techniques and some great recipes that you can cook outdoors. So to help you get more stuff done at your outdoor grill, here are some methods of cooking that you can do and how to do each right.

 

Classic Grilling

 

Grilling outdoors would never be complete without some foods that are classically cooked directly on the grill. Direct grilling is best for cooking steaks, chops, sausages, fish fillets, kabobs and chicken cuts. Not only does grilling these items make it easier for them to cook but grilling them directly would also give them a very pleasant flavor that only a grill could produce.

 

As for whole fish, chicken, turkey or ribs, you can use another grilling method which is known as indirect grilling. This method involves having only one side of the grill lit and placing the items on the other side of the burner that is not lit. Another way of indirect grilling would involve having an aluminum foil placed on the center to regulate the temperature, moisture and adding a different flavor to the items to be cooked. You can also place spices, lemon juice and other flavorings to enhance the flavor of items on the grill.

 

Roasting On The Grill

 

There are two main methods of roasting that you can do on the grill. The first is pan roasting; this involves having an aluminum foil pan on top of the grills surface and having meats such as ham, ducklings or large cuts of meat. This method allows the meat to be cooked by its own broth which would drip to the pan while cooking and would turn into vapor during the process. For added flavor, you can add spices, wine, lemon juice and other flavorings to enhance it.

 

The second method of roasting on the grill is called spit-roasting. This method is best used for poultry, meat and lamb and is known to give these meats taste more like themselves. The process is similar to pan roasting, except you have the item rotate over the heat having it constantly soaked in its own juices. The juices gathered here can later be collected and can be used as gravy.

 

Smoking

 

When grilling outdoors, fishes, meats, turkeys, whole chicken and game tastes really great if smoked. Of all methods of grilling, smoking is known to have the most distinct and pleasant flavor and it is quite easy to do. The process of smoking involves the use of firewood, this if which would give that smoky flavor to the items to be grilled. To prepare it, have the wood soaked overnight in water.

 

After doing so, place them in aluminum foil and prick a few holes on the side. Place holes facing upwards along briquettes and you are ready to get smoking.

 

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New Trends For Outdoor Grilling

English: Grilling meat at the Ballard Seafood ...

English: Grilling meat at the Ballard Seafood Fest, Seattle, Washington. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

The Magic Of Grilling

 

When it comes to dining, nothing could ever beat the many wonders we could cook up freshly on the grill. Not only do grilled foods taste good, but the bonding involved with it is also magical. Now that there are more things that we can do when grilling outdoors, every family barbecue is sure to be much more enjoyable.

 

When it comes to outdoor grilling, most of us would most likely think of the nice meats, veggies and fishes dad would grill on the backyard during special occasions. While those are very lovely indeed, there are a lot of new outdoor grilling recipe everyone with a barbecue should try doing. If the only outdoor grilling recipe you know is dads barbecue, then you are missing out on a lot as these recipes could also provide you with just the same amount of tasting pleasure.

 

New Grilling Sauces

 

The typical American barbecue would be meats with tomato bases sauces, veggies marinated in vinegar and oil or fishes grilled in with herbs. If your grilling vocabulary is limited to these then you should definitely try other new recipes. Nowadays, experts on the grill use all types of pleasant ingredients you could think about to make barbecue sauces some of them being strawberries, raspberries, yogurt, honey and even mustard.

 

While the typical methods of making items in the barbecue are still maintained up to now such as keeping the grill closed at times to seal in the flavor and moisture and moving items from high fire to low fire and pricking meats and chicken with a fork to see how moist it is inside, these methods are still considered by experts as the best ways of cooking in the grill. Everyone would want the items in the grill to be as juicy and flavorful as much as possible.

 

Keep Safe

 

Whenever on the grill, you must also be very aware of your safety. While most cases would only be a minor burn on our hand of which most of us who have been grilling for a while already have already experienced, you should be aware that millions are lost due to structure fires and outdoor fires caused by outdoor grills. Grilling involves a lot of fire and with that, you should be very aware of what it can cause you and your surroundings.

 

Make sure that kids do not go playing anywhere near the grill as well as the pets should also be kept away from the grill until it has fully cooled. Also remember that an outdoor grill should not be placed near objects that could easily catch fire such as the house itself, bushes, shrubs and trees to avoid any accidents regarding it. Also be careful in using starter fluid, make sure only to use this with charcoal grills and never with gas-powered grills.

 

No Rules!

 

Just keep in mind that when grilling aside from safety measures there are practically no rules. Whatever produces the best tasting barbecue whatever the ingredients or items could be the best outdoor grilling recipes. While these new barbecue sauces can already be picked up from the shelves of your local grocery, it is also a lot of fun to make them yourselves.

 

Go ahead and experiment with whatever you can to make your outdoor grilling products as good and as enjoyable as possible.

 

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Tips For Grilling Fish Outdoors

Grilled fish

Grilled fish (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Fish On The Grill

One of the most popular items that most people would always have on the grill whatever the occasion is would be any type of fish. It could be that large bass you luckily caught while on a fishing trip, a lovely salmon steak or whatever fish it is that would do great on the grill. This is because grilling fish recipes would please most of our tastes and as well as the one who is cooking it since fish is fun and easy to cook. It also matches greatly with other common items on the grill such as peppers and other veggies.

So to make grilling fish easier as well as better tasting for you and everyone else who would eat it, here are some helpful tips to make it so.

Grilling Methods

For whole fish such as trout, snapper or salmon, the best way to grill it is through a hinged wire grill fish basket. It is also the best way to cook fillets of tender fish such as catfish or flounder. This is because the hinged wire distributes the heat evenly on the fish and the slight pressure that it will have on the fish cook much better, not to consider those pretty grill marks it would make after. You could also add herbs, lemon and other flavoring in between the fish and the grill for added flavor.

For firm fillets such as tuna and salmon, these are still very nice on the grill just make sure to handle them well to prevent them from breaking apart and falling into the grill. Make sure that you turn them only once while grilling; turning it back and forth every now and then will cause it to break apart. Also make sure that you watch the heat and make sure that it is always turned on to medium, take not that fish cooks quicker than most common items on the grill.

Marinating Fish

When it comes to marinating fish, you can come up with virtually anything you can imagine as long as it would taste good on the fish, just take note that liquid marinades are easier to absorb and would seep deeper into the fish as compared to sauces. When marinating fish, put the fish and the marinade together in a container and allow 30 minutes for the fish to soak up. Refrigerating while marinating is also highly advised, only bring out the fish when it is ready to be cooked.

If the marinade used on the fish should be used as a sauce, have it boil by itself for at least five minutes. Since the fish was raw when it was soaked in it, it could have traces of bacteria which we would not want on the sauce. Boiling it eliminates bacteria in it.

Plating Grilled Fish

Grilled fish is best served with other grilled seafood such as scallops, shrimps, crabs or lobsters. It also would also do well with grilled peppers, asparagus and onions. Grilled fish looks very appetizing when it has grill marks on the side, this of which is commonly noted as the mark of an expert when it comes to grilling.

This does not only look appetizing but is also a good way of judging that the fish is cooked right. Serving it with a salad and a soup would have everyone eating it have a good memory with grilled fish.

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The Best Tools For That Perfect Grilling Experience

Beef and Corn on a Charcoal BBQ grill

Beef and Corn on a Charcoal BBQ grill (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

Spring is around the corner and before you know it summer will be here.  With that, great weather will follow.  The perfect time for a  BBQ is coming so follow these tips to prepare yourself for a great BBQ season.

 

Importance Of Accessories

 

While we are already aware of the numerous pleasures that can be brought to use by simply the grill alone, we can even multiply that and make grilling tasks much easier and faster by the use of some accessories. With grilling accessories, it is now easier to have items grilled evenly on all sides, have them cooked well and have grilling marks which is the mark of a true grilling master.

 

Grilling accessories are quite common and are most likely to be found on your favorite cooking shops. They are also usually quite simple materials and require little or no technology at all; they could even come quite cheap at some places. The best thing about them is you will be able to do more and make grilling tasks much easier with them.

 

Cleaning Accessories

 

When it comes to grilling, one thing that is just as important as grilling itself and does not have anything to do with actually grilling is cleaning the grill. After all, you would not want to put in a nice cut of prime rib and later have it taste like grilled seafood. So for you to be able to clean your grill easier and much faster, you can use wire scrubs and brushes that are custom fitted to clean your grills surface easily without damaging it.

 

Aside from that, there are also cleaning agents that are also made especially for your grills surface, typical detergents are too tough on the grill and could damage it. Use this along with the grill scrubs and brushes and cleaning your grills surface should be much easier than it has always been.

 

Accessories To Enhance Grilling

 

To even make grilling better, there are some accessories you can use along with grilling to make food cook or taste much better. Cooking fish is now much easier with the use of wire baskets and you can even use this to enhance flavor by having in the basket some spices, lemon and herbs. You can also use this for meat, other seafood and even vegetables.

 

The grill marks that are on the side have been considered as a mark of a grilling master, to make this easier, you can now have a grill press that would make this very possible. The grill press is a device which would allow you to push items into the grill and making the grill marks on the side appear much easier. With all those accessories, you are sure to have better experiences while grilling.

 

Other Accessories

 

While barbecue sticks have been long available ever since grilling became popular, it is now available to suit different types of items and is made to have them cook much better and much faster. Some sticks are made for marshmallows to make sure they do not fall of the stick while having them grilled and some are specifically made for kebobs’ to have them cook much easier and hold the pieces of meat in place while grilling them.

 

You can now also have a lot of options for grilling surfaces other than the basic, these of which are custom-made to cook various meats effectively. For cooking ribs, you can now have a rack as a surface this of which would make it cook evenly on all sides and is also good for smoking.

 

With all these accessories available right now, grilling outdoors is sure to be much better and more memorable with you being able to do more with your grill.

 

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Healthy Weight Loss Recipe-Artichoke Scrambled Eggs Benedict

Recipe provided by Susan Irby. Click here to visit her site for more healthy recipe's.

Recipe provided by Susan Irby. Click here to visit her site for more healthy recipe’s.

This is perfect delicious easy meal for breakfast, lunch, and brunch. Enhance your healthy weight loss efforts and wake up your mornings with this quick healthy low cal, low-fat #SOBikini recipe that averages only 290 calories per serving!  This recipe serves four and only takes 30 minutes to prepare.

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
  2. Toss artichoke bottoms with 2 teaspoons oil and 2 teaspoons oregano. Place them top-side down on half of a large baking sheet.
  3. Spread pancetta in an even layer on the other half. Roast until the artichokes are just beginning to brown and the pancetta is crispy, 12 to 14 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, whisk mayonnaise, yogurt, lemon juice and water in a small bowl until smooth. Beat eggs and egg whites in a large bowl.
  5. Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the eggs and cook, folding and stirring frequently with a heatproof rubber spatula until almost set, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and fold in cream cheese, the remaining 1 teaspoon oregano and salt.
  6. To serve, divide the artichoke bottoms among 4 plates. Top each artichoke with equal portions scrambled egg, crispy pancetta and creamy lemon sauce.
  7. Garnish with oregano sprigs, if desired.
Click Here for more healthy recipe's.

Click Here for more healthy recipe’s.

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New Recipes For Outdoor Grilling

English: Barbecue Bosanski: Roštilj Deutsch: Grill

English: Barbecue Bosanski: Roštilj Deutsch: Grill (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

Beef and Corn on a Charcoal BBQ grill

Beef and Corn on a Charcoal BBQ grill (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

What We Know

 

If we are not too into barbecues, the only types of items in the grill we might know could be those lovely racks of ribs our parents used to make with tomato based barbecue sauce. While that recipe is very much lovely no doubt, if that is the only recipe that you know then you are missing out a lot. Nowadays, there are a lot of new recipes for barbecue sauces made out of whatever it is that you can think of. From strawberries, mangoes, apples and even mustard are now used as bases for barbecue sauces.

 

If you are only using your grill for direct grilling, then you sure don’t know a lot yet about how versatile your grill is. An outdoor grill can be used for virtually anything you can do inside your kitchen and more than that. With an outdoor grill, you can grill, smoke, sear and do a lot more stuff on your outdoor barbecue. With all the new things you can do, it is sure that the way you view your outdoor grill will be way different from how you always used to.

 

New Barbecue Sauce Recipes

 

Most people who barbecue would result to having sauces that are ready for pick up at their local grocery shelves. While these sauces might taste good too, nothing beats the experience of being able to make your own barbecue sauces or any outdoor grilling recipes. Not only is it more fun to do yourself but you also get to adjust the taste according to how you want it to be. Like if you think a sauce needs more spice or more lemon juice, you can adjust it yourself.

 

Keep in mind that there are no limits when it comes to making your own outdoor grilling recipes. In fact, all the things most of us might consider weird are used by many on the grill. A barbecue with mustard sauce is in fact getting more popular by the minute because of its nice taste. Whatever pleases the tongue is good to go on the barbecue.

 

New Ways Of Cooking

 

Because it is an outdoor grill, we would usually stick to the old outdoor grilling recipes, ways of using it and many other traditions we follow when it comes to it. If that is our mindset, then we are definitely missing out on a lot because there are numerous ways of enjoying when we are grilling outdoors. One way of it is smoking which is best on fish, sausages and meats. This method of cooking gives grilled food a distinct and lovely taste apart from any other methods of cooking.

 

You can also put an aluminum foil pan on top of the grill and cook meats on top of that to make it soak in its own juice. This method is more famously known as roasting and it is now commonly done on top of an outdoor grill. While all those are new and lovely ways of cooking in the grill, you can still have grilling the classic way ever once in a while after all, it never tasted too bad.

 

Things To Keep Traditional

 

While there are many new things we can do on top of our outdoor grills and a whole lot of outdoor grilling recipes you should try the next time you would have to, we have to keep in mind that safety rules are still to be kept as always when it comes to outdoor grilling. Make sure that the grill is away from everything that could catch fire and the kids or the pets don’t come playing near it until it has cooled of completely.

 

Also make sure to have a fire extinguisher always ready. With a lot of new things with traditional safety, experiences on the grill are sure to be much better than before.

 

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Healthy Weight Loss Recipe’s-Oven Baked Halibut

CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE GREAT RECIPE'S FROM SUSAN IRBY THE BIKINI CHEF.

CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE GREAT RECIPE’S FROM SUSAN IRBY THE BIKINI CHEF.

Great healthy recipe whether your trying to lose weight or eat healthy.  If you love outdoor grilling, this halibut recipe is perfect for the grill, too! Not a fan of halibut? Use salmon, mahi mahi or tilapia. Fish is a heart healthy food packing in omega 3 fatty acids. Fish is great for weight loss, and glowing skin and hair.
Author: Susan Irby The Bikini Chef
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Total time: 30 mins
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 2 lemons, sliced
  • 1 pound fresh halibut filet
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • sea salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley leaves
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves (stems removed)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375*.
  2. Place the lemon slices in a baking dish.
  3. Rub the fish on both sides with olive oil, lightly with sea salt and pepper; finish with parsley, basil, and thyme.
  4. Place halibut over the lemons and bake about 15 minutes or until the fish flakes and is just cooked through.
Notes

This recipe is also adaptable for poaching the fish. Place prepared,uncooked fish on parchment paper. Top with the lemon slices. Add a splash or two of white wine. Fold the parchment paper to seal on all sides. Place in oven and bake as directed. Fish will come out deliciously flakey and flavorful.

**NOTE: The fish in the photo is grilled and fresh peas have been added as a side dish.
***SPECIAL NOTE: This recipe is from “Boost Your Metabolism” cookbook by Susan Irby The Bikini Chef. Visit the Bikini Boutique and order your autographed copy!

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Healthy Weight Loss Recipes-Shrimp with Red Beans and Quinoa

images-5

Recipe Type: Entree

Author: Susan Irby The Bikini Chef
Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 3 hours
Total time: 3 hours, 20 mins plus soak beans overnight
Serves: 4
This Mardi Gras classic takes a healthier twist with protein-rich quinoa. Delicious any time of year, here shrimp is used. Perfect for the family or single guy or gal on the go, make ahead and freeze for later use. If you don’t eat shrimp, substitute chopped cooked chicken breasts, sliced lean turkey sausage, or a little not-so-lean andouille sausage.
Ingredients
  • 1 pound dry kidney beans
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large white or yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
  • 3 cups water
  • 3 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 crushed bay leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
  • 4 cups cups water
  • 2 cups uncooked, rinsed quinoa or long grain white rice
  • 2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deviened
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • fine zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • Finely grated fresh parmesan cheese, about 4 tablespoons

Directions

Rinse beans, and then soak in a large pot of water overnight. In a skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Cook onion, bell pepper, garlic, and celery in olive oil for 3 to 4 minutes. Rinse beans, and transfer to a large pot with 3 cups water and 3 cups vegetable broth. Stir onion and bell pepper mixture into beans. Season with bay leaves, cayenne pepper, thyme, sage, parsley, and Cajun seasoning. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, adding a little water or vegetable broth if needed.

Meanwhile, prepare the quinoa (or rice). In a saucepan, bring water and quinoa to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. *If using rice, add 5 minutes of cooking time.

Toss shrimp with remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Heat grill pan or skillet over medium heat. Add shrimp and cook until just pink, about 3 minutes. Serve shrimp whole or chop into large pieces. Set aside.

To serve, place quinoa on serving plate and top with red beans and shrimp. Finish with a pinch of fresh thyme leaves, lemon zest, and freshly grated parmesan cheese (about 1/2 tablespoon). Serve warm.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE GREAT RECIPE’S FROM THE BIKINI CHEF

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