Oh my. These three dishes were all so good I gave them equal awards on my plate. Such great flavor!
We went to the grocery store and came home with 3 vegetables that looked good: portobello mushroom caps, corn on the cob, and okra.
The mushrooms turned into Portobello Pizzas, which were A.wesome. We grilled the shrooms, until they were tender, heated some Bertolli portobello mushroom sauce in the microwave and slathered it on hot, and sprinkled them with some Kraft 2% Fancy Shredded Cheddar and grated parmesan.
The corn was grilled with covered in about a tsp of Smart Balance spread –
And the okra was chopped, coated in a mixture of blue corn meal, cayenne pepper, cumin, salt and pepper (the goo of the okra helped it all stick), and then fried in a very small amount of real butter and canola oil.
For snack this afternoon I had a small bowl of plain yogurt topped with about 1/5 of a crumbled Pomegranate Walnut Granola Plank.
The house is just about put back together, and we got in a wonderful evening walk as well – about 30 minutes through the neighborhood at dusk, just when the lightening bugs started coming out.
After our walk, I had a small bowl of cereal (Weetabix and a sprinkle of Artisan granola) with hemp milk and an apricot!! I’ve actually never had a fresh apricot and Chelsea kept telling me to try one. Loved it – it was like a tiny peach/nectarine.
Portion Video
A reader sent me a link to this video about how easy it is to overestimate portions, especially with calorie-dense foods like peanut butter (which many of us eat daily!). I am sharing the link as an eye-opener – not because I think everyone needs to start weighing food. Just thought it was interesting!
Eye-Opening “Fat Loss Secret ” Video
Enjoy your last moments of the weekend!
VeggieGirl says
Fresh apricots = incredible. Glad that you finally got to try one!! :0)
BethT says
That is a great way to eat mushrooms. For a crowd, I make a Giada DeLaurentiis dish called Mushroom Parmesan which is similar…everyone loves it!
Sara says
Kath,
I love your blog, but I can’t believe you posted that video! I’m trying to get away from obsessing over calories and now I feel like I have to go buy a scale 🙁
AmyD says
That mushroom pizza looks AMAZING, I will definitely have to try it…and your title for this post made me laugh out louud, especially since that’s how my dinners have seemed lately as I love love lettuce. Glad you had a great trip and welcome back! Reading your blog is always like taking a mini-vacation during my day.
Nicole says
The mushroom pizza looks so great!
I was very surprised by how much the peanut butter went over the serving size! I always scoop it out like that, with a little over the top. Oops!
Kath says
Sara ,
I’m sorry if it set you back – it’s probably better suited for those trying to lose weight than maintainers or those getting away from counting. If it makes you feel better, I won’t be getting out my scale back out. But it did make me think twice about how often I lick the spoon.
Kath
Serena says
The music on that video was awful, but it was so interesting! Speaking of which – did they talk about copyright infringement at the Blogher conference? I doubt it would ever be an issue, but you used a copyrigted song in your video (maybe why the music was so bad in the portion control one) and since you do make money off your blog, I would hate for you to get pursued for copyright infringement… generally if you only use a very small portion of the song, it’s considered a fair use, but I just wanted to bring this point up since your blog is so super popular and gets a lot of views, and if you don’t have permission to use the song you could get in trouble!
Those mushroom pizzas look amazing, btw. I am definitely making those SOON!
Justy2003 says
I was just thinking about this portion control thing the other day when people were mentioning that they use the 1/3 cup of oats instead of 1/2 cup. I weigh my oatmeal (easier than dirtying up a bunch of measuring cups/spoons) and one time I put in 1/2 cup and it was over 50 grams. Today I used 1/3 cup scoop to see how much it was and it was like 38 (aka much closer to the 40 gram serving). Funny how those gram to cup conversions don’t always work out…especially with things like granola and cereals that settle. Definitely something to keep in mind! While the foods are healthy, it can all add up!
The portabellos look yummy! We always have our portabello burgers like that…marinara and feta cheese instead of like a “regular” burger. Yum! 🙂
rachel says
i concur with sara! that video is a bit…over the top, if you ask me. i understand the importance of portion control, but the video’s perspective seems mildly obsessive and unhealthy. where’s the balance, people?
Nicole says
wow…that video was really eye-opening. I’m not trying to lose weight anymore, but I still measure a lot b/c I don’t fully “trust” myself with portions. Now I kind of feel like even my measuring hasn’t been ‘true’ either…maybe that makes sense? People in my life think my measuring is a tad obsessive, so I’m sure that buying a scale would seem like a bit much =/ Either way, I’m trying to cut back on my obsessive measuring, so maybe knowing that even my measuring EVERYTHING (as opposed to plain and simple intuitive eating) MAY be slightly counterproductive will actually help me ditch the cups/spoons…well, except for peanut butter. For some reason my eyes tell me that 2 tbs are only 1 tsp. Crazy how that happens. I go through jars of PB like tiolet paper, but I’ll definitely be a lot more mindful of my “oh crap a heaping pile got on my knuckle while scraping the bottom of the jar and I better not waste it!” licks now.
PS- It’s makes me feel better knowing you’re not pulling out the scale just b/c of the video. 🙂
magpie says
Your okra looks so good. I absolutely love it and I’ll definitely be trying it this way!
Maureen says
Oooh, I always find it so hard to make okra edible. I like your idea! And that pizza looks yummy 🙂
mh says
although I may be off when I eye ball pb or cereal…I don’t want to be obsessive by measuring everything I put into my mouth. I think there is somthing border line obsessive (or way past it! haha) when people measure everything they eat (esp fruit and veggies). Just eat until you are satisfied and eat in moderation!
Alli W. says
Hey guys! I am not sure if this has already been mentioned, but there is an article in the NY Times styles section about blogher. It was interesting! I was looking for you, Kath, but no such luck in this article!
Heather says
I’ve never had a fresh apricot either. I always think of them as dried.
Interesting video. That’s why I don’t even bother measuring peanut butter. I just dip the pretzel, banana, whatever, right in there and go to town. That’s probably not recommended though.
Hil says
I love apricots. I grew up in an agricultural area that specialized in pit fruit. I always ate tons of apricots during the summer…I can’t believe that some people have never tried them fresh!
Cecilia says
Believe it or not … I LOVE okra, especially sauteed with caramelized shallots … mmmm (sorry I know you hate onions, haha)
Claire says
I have actually never tried okra but this recipe looks delicious! I will definitely have to try it.
Oh and that video definitely makes me happy I have a food scale but in terms of servings, I try to eat what my body tells me (slowly) and fuels me for my workouts and life. I only use a food scale for recipes.
hk says
yum- dinner looks perfect- love all those veggies! I like the cornmeal idea w/ okra, sounds delish!
C says
I have never had a fresh apricot, either. We were eyeing them in the store this weekend. Maybe we will give them a try soon.
Heather says
Is the ketchup for the okra? SO GOOD.
Love the mushroom caps, too… we were eyeing them at the store yesterday for mushroom burgers, but your recipe looks better!
goalie30 says
apricots = yum! we haven’t had any good ones at our grocery quite yet so i’m hoping they ship in soon!
the video was interesting, thank you for sharing. just another reminder to keep portions a little smaller than you might think!
JenP says
Portobello mushrooms are one of those things that I’ve been wanting to try forever! I’m glad you enjoyed them!
Suzanne says
Welcome back, Kath!
I just got to work at 8am and the first thing I did was check your blog to catch up on your last few posts.
I enjoyed your video – looks like you all had a great time!
Thanks for the okra recipe. I have always stayed away from buying it, because I had no idea how to prepare it.
I have a question about…the all evil BINGING.
I’m still nursing this annoying ankle injury and have been reducing my food intake/calories for the last 2 weeks very well. Also, I have been doing upper body/abs, pilates, swimming, and stationary bike every day. However, this weekend was a total bomb. I binged on carbs galore. (I had reduced my carb intake)
I have worked so hard to keep in shape and eat well while I am injured, but it all went out the window this weekend.
Any advice on how to go from here? I still can’t do much cardio, but I don’t want all those extra calories I ingested over the last two days to sabotage everything.
I never see you binge ever – how do you do it? You always limit your treats to a small portion. My self control failed me. 🙁
Foodie (Fab and Delicious Food) says
I love the portobello pizzas idea! I’ll definitely have to try it!
Quinn says
Very interesting video — and now makes me want to invest in a scale. I watched this from diet.com months ago, and found it even more interesting that you can’t always trust the packaging 100% either.
ModelBehavior says
Oh I just LOVE fresh corn on the cob in the summer, and being from Nebraska, I pretty much get first pick 😉 Thanks for the video!
Every Gym's Nightmare says
mmm i had grilled corn on the cob last night- delicious.
i havent had portabellas in a while, but when i do i always use them as burgers. the little pizzas are something new ill have to try.
www.groundedfitness.com
Jada says
Quick question for anyone-I have never refrigerated my almond butter?Should I be doing so and is is it dangerous if I don’t?
Much appreciated-thanks.
caitlinbo says
wow… that video was amazing, kath. i need to go buy a scale now. i’m trying to lose 5 lbs for my wedding but have been struggling, and i think when you’re trying to lose the last few lbs you MUST get anal about calories… or it just wont work.
also, i totally had a rounded portion of oatmeal this morning… LOL.
Melanie says
Welcome back! That dinner looks fantastic.
I have to agree with some of the other posts. Counting calories is not for everyone. I, for one, become very obsessive when I count and measure everything I eat. And I end up binging even more afterwards out of frustration from counting all the time. Balance and moderation is the key for me!
Kath says
Serena ,
I have to admit I didn’t even think about copyrights when I made the video. I guess I’ll have to find other songs (or sing my own 🙂 ) in future ones. Thanks for the info.
Heather ,
Yep, ketchup on okra. The cornmeal made it kinda like french fries!
Suzanne ,
I definitely have times when I binge, but I don’t like to call it that. Most of them are special events (especially dessert buffets) or times when alcohol is involved. I rarely overeat when I’m home and in the right mindset. I think you answered your own question when you said that you had cut back on carbs. Try to keep the same balance in your diet as when you were able to eat more with exercise. And you haven’t mention how much you’ve cut back, but be sure you’re eating enough overall as well.
Quinn ,
Wow, another eye-opener. I think both videos are most important for weight loss – a time when calories DO really matter. It’s much easier to be flexible and balance things out over time in maintenance. Although I’ve stopped logging and measuring food, if I were to need to lose again, I would probably go back to those practices. They worked well for me. And I would recommend them to others who want suggestions or are stuck with weight loss with the reminder that losing weight should be a temporary lifestyle and so should stricter eating practices that go along with it.
Jada ,
Almond butter doesn’t need to be refrigerated, but it will help it keep emulsified better.
Kath
SweetsandSweats says
Oh wow, I loveOkra. So so jealous because it looks fabulous!
sweetsandsweats
JLynn says
i love that you said lightning bugs. i too am from north carolina and call them lightnight bugs. people have told me the correct term is fireflies, but what do they know.
JavaChick says
You are making me wish I liked mushrooms! Alas, no matter how hard I try, I just can’t learn to like them. 🙁
Suzanne says
haha…thanks for the reply, Kath!
What YOU do is called treating yourself (in a normal way). But wow – what I did this past weekend was definitely bingeing, because for dinner last night I had 8 big chocolate chip cookies. The night before I had 75% of a bag of chex mix. And peppered throughout the days I had toast and PB. Not to mention other naughty foods. So I definitely BINGED. 🙁
I usually don’t eat like this. But for the past two weeks, I ate very healthy, well-balanced meals like you (and cut down on a lot of carbs). Then when this weekend hit, I was out of control – I had the BIGGEST, most destructive carb cravings. And there was no stopping me. Just call me cookie monster!
That’s why I panicked this morning when I realized what I had done! 🙁 oh, the shame!
The Dad says
Kath,
Love the Portobello Pizza idea — Mom and I will definitely be trying them. I think you probably have had fresh apricots during your childhood because I’ve always purchased them but their season is so short compared to other fruits you probably just don’t recall them.
The Dad
Jill - GlossyVeneer says
The portobello “pizza” is a great idea. I wonder if my husband would enjoy those… I love veggies (this meal is so calling to me!) but my hubby is way too picky when it comes to vegetables. I keep trying new twists to make him like them. (Ones that don’t involve drowning them in ranch dressing, which is his usual solution!)
CourtneyS says
I find weighing and measuring things very helpful. The way I look at it is that we measure things when we cook and make recipes, so measuring out a tablespoon of peanut butter for breakfast is no different than measuring it out for a cookie recipe. I find it especially helpful for things like nuts, nut butters, and cheese. They’re all so easy to overdo.
Suzanne, I would just focus on eating as well as possible and paying careful attention to your hunger cues. And you need those carbs!
Chelsea says
Mmmmmm…I lurve okra. Now I really want to make some-Soooooo good. I’m glad you liked the apricot!
Deb says
I’m SOOOooo glad Kath shared that video and the other one was fabulous too that Quinn linked (thanks both of you!).
In my imaginary perfect world, I wouldn’t weigh or measure anything…I would eat only when hungry, listen to my body and be as thin as I want. Sadly I live in another universe. So I weigh, measure (and discover that packaging is almost never correct) and even though I’m at maintenance (sort of- I’d like to lose 5 pounds as a cushion and for personal preference) I find it every bit as hard as when I was losing all the weight. I believe that my body wants to weigh 20-30 pounds more than I want it to weigh, and we are always fighting it out. Maybe someday I will find balance and feel comfortable enough to ditch the food and exercise diary and the food and body scales, but sadly, that day has not yet come for me. If anyone has been in a similar situation and has overcome what I’m dealing with I’d love to hear about it.
Kath says
Deb,
I agree with what you said:
In my imaginary perfect world, I wouldn’t weigh or measure anything…I would eat only when hungry, listen to my body and be as thin as I want. Sadly I live in another universe.
It’s not as easy to just eat intuitively without weight fluctuation as it sounds, especially if you’re one of those (ahem, me!) who wasn’t born naturally thin and struggled with weight gain and overeating for years – even if only on a small scale.
K
Sim says
Hi Kath!
This is by far my favourite healthy-eating blog in the blog-world, and I can’t wait to check out your cookbook in 2098.
Quick question:
You use a lot of hemp milk. Is this because it has a greater nutritional benefit? Or does it taste better?
Thanks.
Kristine says
Hi Kath! Will you please be my personal chef? This meal looks SOOO good.
It looks like you use a ton of different ingredients every meal. If you don’t mind me asking, what would you estimate your monthly grocery bill as being? Do you shop on a weekly basis?
Thanks!
Suzanne says
Thanks CourtneyS! It’s just so hard to deny those cravings sometimes. 🙂
Kath says
Sim ,
Thanks 🙂 I like hemp milk purely for taste. It’s sweetened and has a lovely marshmallow flavor. It’s got a bit more calories than skim milk and added calcium so they are pretty comparable in general.
Kristine ,
Our grocery bill fluctuates each week depending on the ingredients and our moods, but I’d say average is about $100, with $60-75 being a good week and $125 being a bad week.
Kath