Breakfast is served. Grilled Pork with New Mexican Hatch Red Chile and Eggs

Thin sliced pork just off the grill sprinkled with Hatch Red Chile. I use the Hatch both during the grilling and after slicing for a really bold kick.

This is a tasty breakfast if you are really hungry.

Use the grilled pork and slice in to little cubes.

Cut a couple of toast points and then chop up a little more to soak up the egg yoke.

Add a bit of spinach and tomatoes to garnish.

Cold Au Gratin Potato Salad

I made some homemade au gratin potatoes and had leftovers. Usually I just reheat them but I thought I'd try something different. These are cold, so I took a few small pie slices and used them in a salad with some black bean and lentil mix, also cold. Mixed greens are a great go-to and they work both as a salad base or on an open-faced sandwich. The sandwich toppings can be anything you like. Sriracha and yellow mustard work perfectly on the sandwich, and tomato and feta are nice on the salad. My guess is that if you like potato salad, you're going to like either one of these.  Lightly toast your bread for a crispier base. All I had on hand was sourdough, but a nice alternative would be some delicious, nutty whole grain bread. You may decide to eat the cold au gratin potatoes all by themselves and that's good too. Salad and summer go together, and a cold serving of au gratins is a great escape from the heat.

Black Bean and Lentil Vegetable Soup with Blueberries

Add a little bright surprise to your black bean and lentil soup with some blueberries. I'm always looking for a way to switch things up with some of my standing favorites and this did the trick. Lots of other goodness went in to this soup including green tea which is another one of my special adds to many recipes. This is a tasting plate to make sure it was all working together. I made a huge pot of soup and have some more veggies to add today. I let it rest overnight, and as I mentioned in one other post, black beans put a dark cast on most ingredients, so I suggest adding these extras just before you are ready to serve. Cook them separately and then toss them in to keep the colors bright and fresh.
You can also use this as a sauce. I think it would be nice on pork loin. Freeze what you don't use and it's on hand for your next quick meal. Enjoy!

Mixed Greens and Tilapia Salad with Tomato Basil Mushroom Sauce

I don't eat much fish but I do like tilapia. It cooks quickly and it's flaky and tender. I pan poach it in a little unsalted butter and Meyer lemon. These are frozen in individual servings, so they steam in the moisture and it adds a little broth. Just before plating, I pull the mixed greens and spinach out of the fridge so it's crisp and cold. I had pre-chopped the tomatoes in a rough cut and the tomato basil mushroom sauce had been simmering for awhile. I chop the fresh mushrooms, about fifteen, in to semi-thin slices and let them sweat down in the pan before I add the tomato basil sauce. Don't drain them. It infuses extra mushroom flavor and keeps the sauce thin which makes for a nice topping. A large spoonful or two is good so the fish and greens are not overshadowed. The combinations is outstanding and gives each ingredient a chance to speak delicious.

I served this hot on cold, but it tastes just as nice when the ingredients are all cold. It just depends on what you like and perhaps the time of day you are serving. Also, the frozen fish is convenient, but if you buy fresh from the seafood counter, use it the same day for best results.

Summer Chicken Salad with Watermelon and Feta Dressing

I've been thinking about my mom a lot lately. She had so many people to feed every day, three times a day. There were eleven of us. Seven kids, and two grandmothers, plus mom and dad. Whew! In the summer it was frequently stuff on the grill for weekends with dad cooking, but most of it was on my mom. I don't like to cook much in the summer, it's just too hot to have an appetite, especially late in the season. I can't remember what mom prepared on a daily basis with all those mouths to feed. The grocery shopping alone was a feat. After years and years of doing it herself, she finally had groceries delivered by the local market. One thing I do remember is watermelon! Juicy, cool watermelon. After corn, I don't think there is anything that says summer like watermelon. This light salad, served two ways is perfect with chunky mash watermelon dressing. I added some red wine vinegar, some cranberry and pomegranate sauce I had in the freezer, a tad of lemon juice, a splash of orange juice, a little black pepper and some feta.

A Beautiful and Bold Plate of Vegetables, Chicken and Rice to Share

All-in-one meals are easy to make and can include so many delicious ingredients. With this dinner plate it looks extra nice on the presentation side of things and it's yummy hot or cold. I'm pretty hooked on my friend Larry's chile powder and spices; it seems almost every meal I make lately has one or more of his amazing flavors in the mix. Peppahead is my new go to for authentic chile infusion.

I have a lot going on in this...Spinach, carrots, tomatoes, red bell peppers, mushrooms, green beans, broccolini, chicken and rice. Some were leftovers I needed to use and others were freshly cut. I cooked the chicken right in with all the other ingredients in a nice deep pot and let it simmer for about and hour. I plated the rice and then served the veg and chicken mix on top. It's been really hot here so I only ate a little, but I am going to have it for lunch today and I expect it to taste even better. Again, I especially like the green plate for this. It brings out all the colors in a vivid display and the rice does not get lost like it does sometimes on a white plate. The light cooking broth with the red chile is always a nice color pop, and juicy good!

Easy Spinach Tomato and Broccolini Salad Plate

Spinach is lovely but you don't always feel like a heaping serving. This is a nice way to get on the ball with intake without the overload. Cook your spinach and let it cool. Then roll up individual bite size portions and do whatever suits you. It could be breaded and baked if you use a little egg binder to the mix for a crunchier addition. I have not tried it, but I think a quick deep fry would be good too. For now, this is the most simple, fresh way to plate up a quick, delicious salad filled with nutrition. Top with a little Parmesan cheese and some unsalted sunflower seeds and you're all set. If you want a light dressing solution, rice or red wine vinegar are great. Yes, I am on a bit of a salad kick, but what better way to enjoy the bounty of summer...light, bright, and beautiful.

Delicious Summer Yum Salad

This is some serious summer yum!

Corn off the cob, French green beans, hearts of palm, cucumber and heirloom tomato salad.

Summer Up your Protein

This is a nice way to serve your chicken, chop or steak. Add some fresh English cucumber slices and a chopped heirloom tomato for a delicious summer twist.  I used a spicy chile rub on this chop for extra flavor; complements of my friend Larry at Peppahead, I can't get enough of his great stuff. Dixon in the mix.

Hearts of Palm Nested in a Radicchio Leaf with Heirloom Tomatoes and Feta Cheese

This is a delicacy that should be eaten with pure reverence. Hearts of Palm are the inner portion of the stem of the Cabbage Palm, Florida's official state tree. Their delicate flavor is similar to an artichoke with the firm, smooth texture of white asparagus.

They are only available fresh in Florida and other tropical climate countries where the tree grows. Harvesting from wild single-stemmed palms results in the death of the tree while Peach Palms are self-suckering producing up to 40 stems, so harvesting is not as expensive—still it is labor intensive.

Florida's wild Sabal Palmetto (Cabbage Palm) is now protected by conservation law.

Usually cut in to coins, I sliced these down the middle to extract the super slim core as a garnish and then did a fine chop of two stalks. The canned variety come packed in water and if you choose to dress this salad, I suggest using the water to make your dressing. The small leaf radicchio nest is a beautiful way to plate and present this special ingredient. I also added a small chop of heirloom tomatoes in to the mix and topped it with a little feta. A few French green beans and a slice of heirloom finishes the plate. If you want to make it even more dramatic, add an extra leaf of radicchio as shown in this other image.

This would be delicious served with some fettuccine alfredo.

My reverence for food and making a plate a piece of art is a delight, but I will add this quote from Andy Rooney Toons as a funny note of contrast.

"I don't like food that's too carefully arranged; it makes me think that the chef is spending too much time arranging and not enough time cooking. If I wanted a picture I'd buy a painting.

-Andy Rooney

For more interesting food quotes, go to this link.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/21/food-quotes-famous-eating_n_2481583.html

Summer Saladino

Salads are delicious, healthy, satisfaction. Using mixed greens as a centerpiece and spinach chiffonade on the outer edge makes for a nice contrast. Topped with some thin sliced carrots, a small chop of red bell pepper, a bit of chicken, a few grape tomatoes, and you have a complete meal. The chicken was baked with some chile powder for a little extra kick. To keep it on the light side, all you need to dress this salad is a squeeze of lemon. The chiffonade takes a few extra minutes but it really adds to the art of the plate.

Simple Steak and Corn

As summer heats up my appetite wanes and having small, simple meals suits me best. I'm sure there was a whole lotta grillin' going on this holiday weekend and some still to come. You don't have to do much to enjoy this classic steak and corn except sprinkle on a little Peppahead New Mexico Dixon Red Chile.

Thin slices are a good way to go, and any leftovers make for a nice steak sandwich, or add them to a crisp salad mix. 

All-Veggie, Longboard of Lentilicious. Unique Serving Dishes Up Your Game

How you serve a dish can make a big difference in presentation. This looks magnificent and tastes amazing. When you put lentil soup in to a bowl you don't get to see all the yummy ingredients until you spoon them up, and even then, it's just a spoonful. With this dish you get to see every bite. It's hearty, healthy and all there for you to appreciate the view. A lot went in to this dish that you can't see. My friend Larry is a chile master. He sent me some of his New Mexican chilies and gourmet special blends and that's where this started. I sampled his Peppahead brand of Unique New Mexico Chile Caribe, a delicious medium hot blend of chile flakes from Southern New Mexico. They are all natural with no salt or preservatives. A big pow of wow to say the least.

I also included curry, a splash of red wine vinegar, green tea, tomato sauce, a splash of worcestershire sauce, and a squeeze of mustard. All that went perfectly with this mix of lentils, mushrooms, fresh red pepper, carrots and onions simmered in about three cups of water. This is just a few ladles of the soup without a lot of the broth. I then garnish with a little black pepper and dried green tea.

My first taste of all this was truly divine! I ate about half of it and put the rest in the fridge. Then I got hungry a little later and thought hmmm...wonder how this would taste as a sandwich. Oh my gosh, oh my gosh! I used a whole wheat bun with some mixed greens, a thin squeeze of mustard, three pickles and a very thin spread of mayo on the bun. This was more than wonderful. An amazing blend of flavors that made two delicious meals. I can think of all kinds of other ways to use this fusion of fantastic.

TIP: When making a sandwich, drain off the broth or you'll get wet bread. Pairing this with grill roasted corn on the cob would be a nice touch.

Link to Larry. www.peppahead.com

Peppahead, is all about flavor and sensation. Here to delight cooks and chile pepper fans with a unique selection of regional chile powders, delicious spice blends and rubs. Chiles are from Mild to MIGHTY HOT. Plus the popular "Chile Peppers" Calendar with beautiful chile photos and tasty recipes. Many recipes feature his chile products.

Plating a Fresh, Delicious, Summertime Salad

How much time does it take to make something look delicious? Salad ingredients are beautiful on their own, but it only takes a few seconds to bring it to the next level. Arranging things in an artful way makes your plate more appetizing, and is part of the fun of serving it to yourself or your guests. You don't need to pile up your plate. Just a few ingredients placed nicely go a long way. This is a bed of romaine with a little sliced chicken, tomatoes, cucumber, olives, and a small dollop of fat free cottage cheese. No dressing needed. It's fresh satisfaction all around. So, the next time you make a salad—enjoy arranging your plate instead of tossing it all together.

Chicken Breast with Spicy Sauce and Mozzarella String Cheese

Nothing fancy here, although it tastes fancy. A chicken breast without any toppings can be a bit bland and every once and awhile you want to spice it up. This serving is made with mozzarella string cheese pulled in to thin strips and a nice spicy tomato sauce.

Pepper is my favorite spice along with red chile flakes, and this is no exception. You can eat it as is, pair it with a salad, some veggies or a few fresh heirloom tomato slices. Pick a variety of different colors on your tomatoes for extra appeal. Putting the tomato slices down first makes a nice presentation of fresh first, and then you have the warm, gooey goodness of cheesy chicken to satisfy. Cheese sticks are not low in salt, they come in at about 200 mg. of sodium, so keep it light and use only half if you want to cut back on the salt. The spicy sauce and cheesy topping is pure heaven on the flavoricious side. String cheese does not melt quickly, so bump your oven up to broil for a minute or so to get the nice bubbly browning.

Mexitalia Meals, Munchies and More

Do you have your favorite kind of flavors? Sometimes you like more than one and want to mix it up. I happen to like Mexican and Italian flavors; not exclusively, but I do like them a lot. That's where Mexitalia comes in. This is a simple meal combining the best of both. I used low salt basil tomato as the base sauce adding both four cheese mex-mix and Parmesan with mushrooms, red peppers and broccolini. Tortilla wraps work with so many things, and they are a staple in my kitchen. I only eat bread on occasion, but having these whole wheat tortillas makes for a filling but light ingredient. A little more sodium than a slice of bread, but this 8" round easily serves two, or four as an appetizer. Having one slice with a small side salad is a good choice. Each quarter slice comes in at 70 mg of sodium, not including toppings. Depending on the toppings you choose and the amount, it is still a fairly low salt, low calorie flavor feast.

Fried Egg on Crispy Potatoes with Red Peppers

I've mentioned a number of times how handy it is to have a cooked baked potato in the fridge. I also almost always have chopped red pepper and eggs available. This is a super quick meal solution any time of day. I sliced up the potato in to small pieces and then crisped them up in a pan; made a fried egg and tossed on a few red peppers. With these few ingredients you have a very inexpensive, healthy and tasty meal in minutes. No salt, just pepper and chile flakes for seasoning.

Toaster Oven Cooking

I visited a dear friend this past weekend in her new home. It was stunning in every way, although quite small. The kitchen was actually behind double doors and completely out of sight. It was unusual to be in a place where the kitchen was not on display. Studios can be a challenge design wise, but this was so amazingly well done with every high end detail you can imagine...still, I don't think I've ever seen a place with no kitchen revealed. Even with these new tiny, tiny houses, the kitchen is built in. Her kitchen did have a stove but I suggested perhaps she get a toaster oven. They are energy efficient and can do just about everything a full size oven can do...except you don't have the advantage of using larger pans. The space is limited and most don't have double racks. I'm not a fan of counter appliances, but when the stove went out and I needed something quick to cook with, a toaster oven was the answer. Now, I cook many things in the toaster oven. As mentioned, it is energy efficient, so why fire up the big oven. In reality, it actually cuts down on the per-serving cost. Most home cooks don't consider the cost of the electricity, water and clean up in their meal prep and present.

Here is a simple serving of a toaster oven pork chop topped with asparagus. This serving checks in at about $2.50 and was perfectly delicious. So, if you have a small space or just want to save some money, get a toaster oven. In my opinion, this rivals any restaurant and I did not have to spend a fortune to enjoy it.

Stuffed Ham Roll-Ups On Toast with Asparagus and Mixed Greens

I had some fresh asparagus that I wanted to eat before it went bad but did not know what to make with it. I did not want a big dinner and I could have just eaten it plain but I thought, hmm...what else could I do? There was some cooked ham in the fridge so I decided to cut up the asparagus and roll it in to the thin slice with some feta, pepper and mustard. Next I made a piece of toast, put it on a small bed of mixed greens, and topped it all off with a few green peppercorns, two whole spears of asparagus and a couple of tomato pieces. A thin drizzle of Italian dressing and it was complete in less than 5 quick minutes. The asparagus was already steamed. Totally unplanned, and I have never made this before, but it was quite a nice plate. It's funny how ideas just come together. In this case, it was almost like someone else had planned it, and I just put it together. Cooking is like that; a little of this, a little of that, and there you have it.

I would have preferred prosciutto to make this a bit more elegant and it's a classic match with asparagus, but this worked out just fine. This is a less expensive version. One piece of ham cut in half is considerably less than prosciutto. I also would use a whole seed, or course ground dijon and a tad of balsamic. What you would add is completely up to you. There are lots of things you can roll into this idea. And, if you want to go veggie, some nori would be a great alternative to the ham. This is a basic meal idea that would be good any time of day. A bit of a salt splurge, and deli meat is not a regular on my list, but every once and awhile things like this taste yummy to me, and yummy is good.

Regrow your Wild Watercress for Fun or Food

After having my salad recently this was down to leafless stems, roots and soil. I decided to see how quickly it would regrow. It's doing pretty well outside under an umbrella with a good shot of morning sunshine. I've had to add fresh water to it every day since it evaporates quickly, but it's fun to watch the little leaves come back on. At this point there is enough regrowth to use as a garnish or to add a little peppery surprise on a sandwich.

From nothing to something in nine days.


Fresh greens to enjoy!

Easy Omelet Salad

I thought about having eggs for dinner last night and decided to make an omelet salad. I've never put these two together and it was tasty. Once I made the omelet I sliced it up for a little visual variety; put it on some mixed greens, added a little red pepper and a tad of dressing. I prefer some cheese in my omelet, but since I have cut way back on this melty pleasure, this is just plain. If I make this again, I will at least add some feta or other light sprinkle of cheese on top. I can think of lots of other dishes that would taste good with omelet slices. Breakfast, lunch-brunch or dinner. Give it a try and see what you think.

Wonderful Wild Watercress is a Peppery Pleasure

The first time I tasted watercress it was growing wild in a stream at a friends farm and I've been in love with it ever since. It's one of the oldest known leaf vegetables consumed by humans and one cup is just 4 calories. Organic, living watercress can be found at your local grocer or farmers market. It's perfect for salads, sandwiches, stir-fry, used as a garnish or as a nice table decoration. I like to use watercress the day I bring it home for its optimum freshness. Just about everything goes with watercress, so add in a few of your favorites and enjoy.

Another option is to keep it growing. There are lots of tips online.

Tiny Turkey Bites Two Ways to Delicious

Super lean ground turkey is a low calorie ingredient for lots of dishes.  You do need to add something to spice it up though, since by itself it has very little flavor. Served on a lettuce leaf is a nice lunch or snack. These have black pepper, chili flakes and a little sriracha rolled in to them. Then browned and cooked in a pan. These tiny bites take very little time to crisp up nicely and once plated, garnish with some fresh red pepper purée and some sesame seeds.

If you want something a little fancier these tiny bites are delicious topped with some cranberry and pom sauce with a side of smashed mini bite potatoes. Add a little gravy and it's like Thanksgiving. This serving is small. Seven mini meatballs and three mini potatoes but when you add the cranberry pom sauce and the gravy it tastes like a big plate. I had all of these ingredients pre-prepared in the freezer, so all I had to do was heat them up. The potatoes were from my stash in the refrigerator. I make lots of these and they make great snack bites any time of day.

TIP: I used a small dish to smash the potatoes, it gives them a nice uniform size for serving. Also, the tiny bite turkey meatballs are great to have on hand; so when you are prepping, make a bunch of them. Put them in a good quality freezer bag and write the date on it. They make great impromptu hors d'oeuvres that you can dress any way you like.

Low Calorie Tilapia Scramble with Broccolini and Red Pepper

This is a nice, low calorie meal you can make in minutes. The broccolini and red peppers are a quick chop, and the pan sear and steam poach on the fish takes almost no time at all. I cook the fish first and then add the veggies at the last minute with a squeeze of lemon and a bit of pepper. This is one small piece of tilapia, two pieces of broccolini and about a 1" x 3" piece of red pepper. Easy, inexpensive and delicious!

I buy frozen, boneless/skinless tilapia in a multi-pack. There is enough to feed a family in a 24oz. pack but also great for individual servings when it's just you. It may take 3-5 minutes but it tastes like you spent hours.

NOTE: You can cook the fish straight from the freezer or thaw in the refrigerator depending on your cooking preference.

Quesacheeza or Black Bean Burrito

I wish I could say I did not eat this after making it, but I did. Cheese has been off my list for some time now. Oh, I have a little bit here and there on salads, or a little Parmesan garnish, but this soon to be burrito was off the charts with cheese. It is the last of the black bean series and it seemed like a nice send off. I used to eat cheese every day and it's been one of the hardest things to let go of. I mean, what doesn't taste better with cheese? So, I rolled it up and ate the whole thing. Fortunately it was a small tortilla wrap and now I can get back to my new routine; walking by the cheese counter with loving eyes as I make my way toward the veggie and nut aisle. I suppose this cheese should never have ended up in my basket in the first place. I do keep some things on hand for others and as I said, a sprinkle here and there is okay but maybe I need to just stop bringing it home. Too tempting.

Zesty Black Bean Soup with Veggies

Black bean soup is hard to make pretty because every ingredient gets the black hue infusion. This soup was zesty delicious. I sliced up a leftover portobello mushroom, added some sriracha, fresh corn, a little celery, serrano peppers, salsa and a squeeze of lemon, but the real kicker was some uncooked sliced red cabbage which I tossed in at the very last minute. It added a nice fresh crunch and burst of color. It's topped with a dab of sour cream, a few green pepper corns, a splash of tomato juice and one tiny squeeze of sriracha. This one cup serving is great for lunch or served as a dinner side. It would also be nice as a fish topping, spooned in to a quesadilla, rolled in to a burrito. Or, how about some rancho eggs?

NOTE: Next time I make black bean soup I am going to keep the colorful ingredients in a separate pan and stir them in just before serving. 

Steam-Baked Black Bean Portobello Mushroom Pie

Steam-baked Portobello pies. Yes, this is a continuation of what to do with a big pot of black beans. Fill up each portobello with a full cup of black beans, add some fresh corn, a squeeze of sriracha, some serrano pepper slices, a small amount of mex-mix cheese, a spoon or so of salsa and top with a tomato. Add a cup of water to your pan. Cover with foil. Bake at 325. The steam bath makes a nice broth for plating extra flavor and you can dress the serving with a few bits of veggie salad to brighten the plate. Prep these ahead of time and all you have to do is pop them in the oven. Easy good! Next up, black bean soup.

Untaco Taco Salad or Black Beans Three Ways

Since I have changed my eating habits, I have not been as active on my blog. It's been a year of food writing and over 150 posts. I will keep it going, but without the variety of food, (I eat a lot of the same stuff) it's become harder to think of things. Previously, it was easy and things flowed effortlessly.

Yesterday, I cooked black beans and will have a few things I can make with them. Today, I think I'll get some large portobello mushrooms and fill them with the beans, add a little topping, then bake them. Or, maybe put them on the grill. Yesterday it was a salad. Hot beans with a little lettuce rim and veggies, a spoon of salsa and a spoon of sour cream. What's left of the beans will be turned in to black bean soup.

I don't know why yet, but preparing all fresh food, cutting back on lots of things I used to eat, grazing on fruits, veggies, seeds and nuts is not as easy to write about. I miss all the ingredients, the saucing and simmering, the toasty roasty goodness. Peeling a banana is not cooking. The most fun I have is using the microplane or flipping an omelet. I'm sure as I expand my ability to explore new ways to make food it will all fall in to place and I will have some new things to share.

Until then, if you see me putting a squeeze of mustard on a leftover, cold chop and eating it with my hands...well, you get the picture.

Small Plates, Tiny Bites, and Simply Delicious Foods

Keeping portions small is easier when you only have small plates. I've completely eliminated large plates unless I want to dress the food with a frame of space. One thing with small plates is that you have to be more careful about cutting food or it can fly off the plate. The benefit is you will eat more slowly and enjoy your food more—simply because you have no choice.

This medium size grilled chop and 10 one bite potatoes cut in half with 10 French green beans is a low calorie, super low sodium meal with a good amount of potassium. It's simple to make and tastes delicious. If you make more than one serving, all of these ingredients can be chopped up and mixed in to scrambled eggs for a ready-to-go breakfast. Another options is slicing the pork chop super thin and make a nice hot or cold sandwich topped with green beans on your favorite bread.

These tiny bite, simply amazing potatoes are called Sunrise Medley One Bites and

come from TastefulSelections.com

Saucy Chicken and Rice Combo with Red Peppers

We eat with our eyes first and a delicious use of color boosts flavor appeal.

Adding colorful ingredients to your dish makes a meal more appetizing. Plating with fresh accents just before serving brightens the presentation. Many times, as with the red pepper, I cook it in to the sauce and then top the dish with a few uncooked pieces to garnish. Adding some wild greens and a few slices of red onion is a nice finishing touch.

Keeping A Food Diary

Keeping a food diary is not something I normally do. The experts recommend that you do so to see just what you are consuming each day. It does add up even when you try your best to eat light. At first I was noting every calorie and the salt content with each item, every single ingredient in a salad and soup, measuring the amount of condiment, if any, and it made me laugh. Now I have a general idea of what is in most things that I eat and drink, so I am not quite as literal as I was in the beginning and it has helped me to be more mindful of each item. I also have switched my coffee to a half decaf blend and have no more than two small cups, and I only put milk in with the first cup. I like tea as an evening beverage.

Food addictions and romantic habits have been easier to give up than I thought. Since I love to cook, the kitchen romance is definitely something I miss, and yes, salt is now replaced with other herbs and spices, but I am getting used to it. I admit, I still eat saltines when I have a huge salt craving, but unsalted, organic sunflower seeds are my main snack along with roasted almonds.

One thing I did notice, I am not a breakfast eater; so most days I start eating between 11:00 to 1:00 and then consume small amounts about every two hours until about 7PM. If I do get hungry any later than that, it's unusual, and I'll grab a banana and some almonds. Putting the time next to what I eat, as well as keep track of my exercise time and length of activity helps me understand my energy level at different times of the day.

The benefit to a food diary (even if you only do it for a month), will help you get to know yourself a little better and encourage better eating habits.

NOTE: If I do eat something that was not the best choice, I enjoy every single bite. I have no guilt about it at all. The next time I prepare something I am more inclined to choose a better alternative since I have satisfied my craving.  

Re-Crafting your Food Images into Graphic Art

I take a lot of pictures of food in various stages of prep. I love the natural graphic elements that present themselves. Today I took a couple of those images and turned them in to graphic art. Sometimes your images are not as perfect as you would like, but with a little photoshop and an eye for the abstract, nothing is lost. Eggs on saltines with sriracha or grape tomatoes on a cutting board, whatever you have will do. Just enjoy looking at your food in a new way and see what you can create. If you are doing a quick still life with kitchen items, that can be fun too.