The Fame of Health and Fitness

Mrs. Dash is the easiest seasoning to use if you’re short on time or not much of a cook. I sometimes use it to add flavour to chicken or ground meats. I’ve never tried this one though! Excited!!

Just a few items from Whole Foods! I absolutely LOVE this fig vinegar. This vinegar can be used on anything, salad, asparagus, etc. Leslie has even used it in Greek yogurt. It’s more expensive than your regular vinegar but trust me that it’s worth trying.

Over the weekend, my girl friend and I made The Eat-Clean Diet Vegetarian Cookbook’s MEYER LEMON, MUSHROOM, CELERY and SPINACH SALAD and we paired it with Oxygen magazine’s BUTTERMILK RANCH DRESSING. The dressing was fresh and light and complimented the strong taste of the salad’s Romano cheese nicely! My girl friend loved the dressing so much that she even asked for the recipe!

This weekend I made BUTTERMILK RANCH DRESSING from the August issue of Oxygen magazine. I guarantee that you will kick your old ranch dressing to the curb!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup low fat buttermilk
• 1 tbsp olive oil-based mayonnaise
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
•  1tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped

BLEND all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Store in a jar. Label and date, and use within two weeks.

»>  If you like this dressing you might also like the other dressings in this issue: Strong and Skinny Caesar, Creamy Avocado Dressing, French Dressing, and Creamy Italian Dressing.

I promise you that I’m not cheating on Frank’s Red Hot sauce but there is a new hot sauce in my home. Thumbs up!

Tomato paste in a tube!

Leslie introduced me to this tomato paste from Whole Foods and I wasn’t really sure how I was going to use it (aside from the traditional ways) but I am always interested in trying new things. What I have been using it for is adding it into my ground beef, buffalo, or turkey while I am cooking it. It adds a great flavour and keeps the meat moist.

This is just another reason why I love trying new recipes. Indeed this the first time I’m discovering what “fresh” nutmeg looks like! Just purchased for another recipe.

Gotta love the life long journey of learning.

Thank Leslie for this delightful new find! FIG vinegar! At almost $30 a bottle (from Whole Foods) I can promise you it’s worth every penny. If you like balsamic, this will change your palette for good.

I LOVE BRAGG!

I almost always add it to my stir-fry but in moderation. I also use BRAGG in the spray bottle on my all natural popcorn.

If I could marry any hot sauce, it would be Frank’s because “I put that sh@t on everything.”

My sugar-free syrup!

Mmm… butter… I use 2-3 TBSP on my pancakes but no more than that in a day.